PS13 - 68. Survival of autoreactive T-lymphocytes in clinical type 1 diabetes is associated with miRNA expression

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing β-cells by autoreactive CD8 T cells. Yet, islet autoimmunity is not limited to affected individuals, as islet-antigen specific T cells are readily detectable in peripheral blood of healthy individuals. We hypothesized that dissimilarity between autoreactive CD8 T cells in health and disease accounts for the presence or absence of overt disease. We investigated if expression of the homeostasis regulating factors Fas and Fas-ligand (FasL) differed between autoreactive T cells from T1D patients and healthy subjects, and assessed whether microRNAs play a role in the regulation the Fas/FasL pathway.