CU researchers developed a human myelogenic leukemia cell line that expresses a human leukocyte antigen HLA-DQ8 (DQA1*0301 and DQB1*0302). The cell line is a derivative of K562, which was obtained from the bone marrow of a 53-year-old female with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Here, the K562 cell line was engineered using a replication-incompetent retrovirus system encoding HLA-DQ8, which is a human antigen serotype commonly linked with human autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes. This cell line can be used as antigen presenting cells for T cells that recognize antigens presented by HLA-DQ8. Therefore, this is a useful research tool for antigen discovery studies, especially for Type 1 Diabetes and celiac disease.
Michels AW, Landry LG, McDaniel KA, et al. Islet-Derived CD4 T Cells Targeting Proinsulin in Human Autoimmune Diabetes. Diabetes. 2017;66(3):722-734.