Soluble CD83 as a novel immunotherapy for Type I Diabetes

Identifying new therapeutic targets to inhibit and prevent T1D is a JDRF priority. Soluble CD83 (sCD83) is a novel reagent that inhibits immune responses. In mice, sCD83 therapy prevented transplant rejection, and inhibited or prevented autoimmune disease progression in models of multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. An attractive feature of sCD83 is that short courses of therapy were sufficient to induce robust tolerance to transplanted tissues without prolonged use of globally immunosuppressive drugs, which have undesirable side effects. Goals are to optimize sCD83 therapy to prevent T1D onset, and to reverse early-onset T1D in NOD female mice. Data generated will facilitate further evaluation of sCD83 as a potential therapy in patients with early-onset T1D, and in healthy individuals at high risk of developing T1D. sCD83 also has the potential to facilitate survival of transplanted pancreatic islets.