1) The study examines the molecular interaction between an autoreactive T cell receptor (TCR) expressed by a CD8+ T cell clone (1E6) and its target, a human leukocyte antigen HLA-A*0201 complexed with a glucose-sensitive preproinsulin peptide (A2-ALW).
2) Functional tests confirmed the 1E6 clone efficiently kills human islet beta cells in a HLA-A*0201-restricted manner.
3) Biophysical analysis revealed the 1E6 TCR binds the A2-ALW complex with extraordinarily weak affinity, around 278 μM, much lower than typical pathogen-specific TCR-pMHC interactions in the 1-10