Type 1 diabetes, inflammation and dendritic cells

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that targets the insulin producing β cells. Numerous studies with rodent models and indirect evidence from diabetic patients indicate that T cells are the primary mediators of β cell destruction. However, the key events promoting the breakdown of self-tolerance within the T cell compartment remain ill-defined. We propose that defects in dendritic cells play a critical role in driving β cell autoimmunity.

Section editors:John Corbett – Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, USAClayton Mathews – University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, Pittsburg, USA