T-lymphocytes and islet cell antibodies in juvenile diabetes

ABSTRACT

Fifty two patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM] and 25 healthy individuals of comparable age group were included in this study. The patients were classified according to duration of illness, family history, serum glucose concentration and the presence of chronic complication of diabetes. The study revealed reduction of T- lymphocytes point to the association of reduced T4 with the complication. There was a significant increase in T8 in D. M. patients with a positive family history pointing to the association of T8 with a predisposition to D. M. B-lymphocytes were also significantly increased in patients with family history of diabetes. The significant increase of IgG, IgA and IgM in diabetic patients suggested that those patients were frequently exposed to recurrent infection. None of the controls had positive serum islet cell antibodies [ICA] while, 17 out of 52 diabetic patients were positive for ICA of [IgG]. The detection of islet cell antibodies shortly after the onset of the disease and their absence after the first five years and in patients with complications suggest that these autoimmune antibodies may contribute to IDDM and its pathogenesis. Also, the alteration of T-lymphocytes and its subset are suggestive of defective immune mechanism which is not known if it the cause or the result of IDDM