Activated peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulation in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus children

ABSTRACT

In Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus [T1DM], numerous changes in the cellular as well humoral immune response have been identified. However, it is not known whether both the CD[4+] and CD[8+] subpopulation or only one of these or CD[19+]contains increased numbers of activated cells. The aim was to study the activated lymphocyte subpopulation by use of monoclonal antibodies to T-cell and B-cell antigens which is known to be expressed on activated cells. A total of 60 T1DM patients who had newly onset of the disease [diagnosed was from one week up to five months] were included in the present study, all the patients were treated with daily replacement doses of insulin. Fifty apparently healthy control subjects underwent the PBL phenotyping. Phenotyping of surface antigens was done by direct Immunoflurocent [IFT] technique using mouse antihuman CD[3], CD[4], CD[8], CD[45]RA, CD[19], and activated markers CD[45]RO, DR-antigen and CD[38]. T1DM patients showed a remarkable lowering in CD[3+], CD[8+], and CD[45]RA[+] cells [p<0.0001], but the decrease in CD[4+] cells percentage was not significant. In contrast, a significant elevation of activation markers includes [CD[45]RO[+], HLA-DR[+] and CD[38+] cells] were observed in patients in addition to a significant increase of CD[19+] cell percentage and CD[4+] CD[8+] ratio in the patients. This study provides evidence that abnormalities of T-cells regulation are detectable in patients with T1DM