Go to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • All ...
  • Videos
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Resource and Technical Advances
    • Clinical Research and Public Health
    • Research Letters
    • Editorials
    • Perspectives
    • Physician-Scientist Development
    • Reviews
    • Top read articles

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • In-Press Preview
  • Resource and Technical Advances
  • Clinical Research and Public Health
  • Research Letters
  • Editorials
  • Perspectives
  • Physician-Scientist Development
  • Reviews
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
Allograft inflammatory factor-1 in myeloid cells drives autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes
Diana M. Elizondo, Nailah Z.D. Brandy, Ricardo L. da Silva, Tatiana R. de Moura, Michael W. Lipscomb
Diana M. Elizondo, Nailah Z.D. Brandy, Ricardo L. da Silva, Tatiana R. de Moura, Michael W. Lipscomb
View: Text | PDF
Research Article Immunology

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 in myeloid cells drives autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF1) is a calcium-responsive cytoplasmic scaffold protein that directs hematopoiesis and immune responses within dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages. Although the role of AIF1 in transplant rejection and rheumatoid arthritis has been explored, little is known about its role in type 1 diabetes. Here, we show that in vivo silencing of AIF1 in NOD mice restrained infiltration of immune cells into the pancreas and inhibited diabetes incidence. Analyses of FACS-sorted CD45neg nonleukocyte populations from resected pancreatic islets showed markedly higher expression of insulin in the AIF1-silenced groups. Evaluation of CD45+ leukocytes revealed diminished infiltration of effector T cells and DC in the absence of AIF1. Transcriptional profiling further revealed a marked decrease in cDC1 DC-associated genes CD103, BATF3, and IRF8, which are required for orchestrating polarized type 1 immunity. Reduced T cell numbers within the islets were observed, with concomitant lower levels of IFN-γ and T-bet in AIF1-silenced cohorts. In turn, there was a reciprocal increase in functionally suppressive pancreas-resident CD25+Foxp3+CD4+ Tregs. Taken together, results show that AIF1 expression in myeloid cells plays a pivotal role in promoting type 1 diabetes and that its suppression restrains insulitis by shifting the immune microenvironment toward tolerance.

Authors

Diana M. Elizondo, Nailah Z.D. Brandy, Ricardo L. da Silva, Tatiana R. de Moura, Michael W. Lipscomb

×

Figure 3

Loss of DC subsets upon in vivo silencing of AIF1 in the pancreas.

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
Loss of DC subsets upon in vivo silencing of AIF1 in the pancreas.
Six-w...
Six-week-old NOD mice were injected i.p. with siRNA targeting AIF1 (siAIF1) (n = 6) or scrambled control (siScramble) (n = 5) oligonucleotides weekly for a total of 3 weeks. At the end of the 3 weeks, pancreas was harvested from treated NOD mice and prepared for flow cytometric analyses. (A) Cells were stained to assess alterations in the frequency of CD45+CD11b–CD11c+F4/80– DC and CD45+CD11b+CD11c–F4/80+ macrophages upon in vivo silencing of AIF1. SSC-H and SSC-A evaluation was used to identify singlets. Dot plots show CD11b vs. CD11c gating and subgating to assess F4/80 vs. AIF1 expression in gated singlets. (B) The average percentage of AIF1 expression was determined in the siScramble vs. siAIF1 among a pool of nine NOD mice from each group across 3 independent experiments. Additionally, expression was assessed in key myeloid-associated genes from pancreatic cells sorted for (C) CD45+CD11b–CD11c+F4/80– DC and (D) CD45+CD11b+CD11c–F4/80+ macrophages. Data set represents a pool of three siScramble and three siAIF1-treated mice from two independent experiments. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. (E) Assessment of MHC class II and CD11c coexpression within pancreas-resident CD45+CD11b– subsets in siScramble vs. siAIF1 cohorts. Data are representative of 4 mice in 2 independent studies. (F) Further interrogation of monocyte infiltration through assessment of CD45+CD11c–CD317– fraction showing levels of F4/80 in CD11bhiLy6Chi and CD11bhiLy6Cint monocytes. Figure data sets are representative of two independent experiments. (G) Bar graph presenting relative percentage of Ly6C+ monocytes within the CD45+CD11c–CD317– gated subsets in siScramble vs. siAIF1-treated NOD mice. Data are shown as mean ± SEM of 4 groups within 2 independent experiments. Statistical significance was determined by the 2-tailed Student’s unpaired t test. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01. AIF1, allograft inflammatory factor-1; ns, not significant.

Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN 2379-3708

Sign up for email alerts