Proliferative responses to selected peptides of IA-2 in identical twins discordant for Type 1 diabetes

Background The aim of the study was to define T lymphocyte reactivity to selected peptides of an islet antigen IA‐2, associated with Type 1 diabetes. Methods We used 10 peptides selected from the IA‐2 molecule due to their predicted ability to bind to HLA‐DRB1*0401, a Type 1 diabetes‐associated allele. We tested 21 identical twin pairs discordant for the disease and 15 control subjects and then followed them prospectively; seven non‐diabetic twins developed diabetes. Results Twins of identical pairs tended to respond to different peptides suggesting that the T cell response is, to a degree, shaped by non‐genetically determined factors (p