Insulin--a primary autoantigen in type 1 diabetes?

Two recently published papers highlight the importance of insulin as a major autoantigenic target of the T cell autoimmune attack in the non-obese diabetic mouse model of diabetes and in type 1 diabetes in humans. Knowledge of the major targets of the autoimmune attack will enable us specifically to focus on these to develop treatments that could alter the ability of pathogenic T cells to cause diabetes. Targeting these T cells could be a strategy for the prevention and cure of the diabetes in the future.