Islet-cell-surface antibodies in juvenile diabetes mellitus.

Abstract

Using an indirect immunofluorescence test on suspensions of viable, insulin-producing islet cells from rats, we found that 32 per cent (28/88) of insulin-treated patients with juvenile diabetes have islet-cell-surface antibodies in their circulation. These antibodies also occurred in four of nine children with glucose intolerance, in one of 24 healthy children and in nondiabetic children with thyroid disorders. In the diabetic children, the immunofluorescent reaction was inhibited by preadsorption of serum to islet cells but was little affected by preadsorption to rat hepatocytes or erythrocytes or to acetone powders of various rat tissues, including pancreas. These results show that organ-specific, nonspecies-specific antibodies reactive with the cell surface of the islet cells can be present in serum from diabetic children, and provide an approach to investigation of immunopathological aspects of diabetes mellitus.

• Authors: A Lernmark, Z R Freedman, C Hofmann, A H Rubenstein, D F Steiner, R L Jackson, R J Winter, H S Traisman
• Journal: The New England journal of medicine (N Engl J Med) Vol. 299 Issue 8 Pg. 375-80 (Aug 24 1978) ISSN: 0028-4793 [Print] United States
• PMID: 353557 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Autoantibodies
• Insulin

Topics

• Adolescent
• Animals
• Autoantibodies (analysis)
• Cell Membrane (immunology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 (drug therapy, immunology, pathology)
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique
• Humans
• Infant
• Insulin (therapeutic use)
• Islets of Langerhans (immunology, ultrastructure)
• Male
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
• Rats