Islet cell antibodies and C peptide in recently diagnosed insulin dependent diabetic children

The aim of this study was to study cytoplasmic islet cell antibodies and basal C-peptide concentration in the sera of children recently diagnosed as suffering from IDDM, and to check if these two parameters correlate. 31 children with recent onset IDDm of ages ranging 3 - 15 years, including 17 males and 14 females, with duration of diabetes ranging from 2 weeks to 9 months together with 10 healthy children as controls were enrolled in this study. Among the diabetic group 19 patients were positive for ICA while none of the control group had this marker. The C-peptide concentration was markedly lower among the diabetic group compared with the control group. No statistically significant difference was noted between C-peptide concentrations of males and females of both groups. The C-peptide concentrations were lower in patients who presented with ca-a than those who presented with symptoms. Meanwhile, it did not differ significantly between those of diabetic group with a positive family history, and those lacking a history of diabetes. The presence of ICA and its titer was not influenced by the presence or absence of family history of diabetes, the mode of presentation as well as the sex of the patients. A higher prevalence of ICA among those patients with shorter duration of diabetes was noted. Also, a higher concentration of C-peptide was found among those patients retaining high ICA titers, compared with those negative or having low titers. A clear negative correlation was evident between the C-peptide concentration and the duration of diabetes, while an strong positive correlation between the C-peptide concentration and age was noted among the control group. In view of these results it is concluded that higher C-peptide concentrations associated with higher ICA titers may be of importance for selection of candidates for future trials of immune intervention when a more favorable response would be expected

Extraction of phytotoxin substance from Cyanobacteria Microcysts aeruginosa and its toxicity on the blood of albino rat

Toxin in the form of sodium salt was extracted from lyophilized algal cells by 0.1 M sodium carbonate-sodium bicarbonate at pH of 8.5. The extract was purified from pigments by using n-butanol and freed from high molecular weight impurities by dialysis. Chemically, the toxic substance exhibit a peptide nature. Chromatographic investigation after the extract indicated that the toxin contained ornithine, serine, arginine, threonine, alanine, valine and leucine, and amino acids. An aqueous solution of the dialyzable fraction, after purification, was used to determine the LD50, it was equal to 9.51 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples were taken 24 hours after intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injections in albino rats. Intraperitoneal injection markedly decreased red blood cell count and hemoglobin contents, more than a subcutaneous injection. Such depletion may be related to the destruction of erythrocytes. With both injections the activities of both S-ALT and S-AST enzymes were higher than the control samples