m6A RIP-seq for Cytokine-treated Islets and Beta-cells or T1D Islets

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells. Recent research has focused on the role of the innate immune system in initiating this process. To investigate this further, we used m6A-profiling of human islets from non-diabetic individuals and the human beta-cell line EndoC-bH1 treated with PBS or interleukin 1 beta and interferon alpha, as well as established T1D patients. Our findings reveal that N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is a mechanism that helps protect beta-cells by accelerating the decay of mRNA from the 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) genes, which controls the antiviral innate immune response at the onset of T1D. These results provide insight into the adaptive safeguarding mechanisms of beta-cells and the role of m6A in T1D development, highlighting potential targets for therapeutic interventions. Overall design: RNA-seq and m6A RIP-seq were performed on cytokine-treated human islets and beta-cell line EndoC-bH1, or islets from control and T1D patients.