title: The production of immunoreactive alpha- and gamma-interferon by circulating mononuclear cells in type 1 diabetes.
abstract: Using a specific immunoradiometric assay method the in vitro alpha interferon response to polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly-I:C) and the gamma interferon response to concanavalin A were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 11 healthy matched pairs of Type 1 diabetic patients and normal subjects. The alpha-interferon response to poly-I:C was significantly higher in the diabetic group (median 3.7 (range less than 1-25.7) u ml-1) than in the normal group (1.1 (less than 1-15.4) u ml-1, p less than 0.01). The mean gamma-interferon response to concanavalin A was 64.3 +/- 46.9 (+/- SD) u ml-1 in the diabetic patients and 49.4 +/- 18.5 u ml-1 in the normal group (NS). The higher alpha-interferon response to poly-I:C in the diabetic patients was not related to blood glucose concentration, HbA1, age of onset of diabetes, duration of diabetes, or islet cell antibody positivity, and may therefore indicate intrinsic hyper-responsiveness of circulating mononuclear cells in Type 1 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Cellular Mechanisms Research Group, London Hospital Medical College, UK.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Toms
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Boucher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D007370:Interferon Type I; D007371:Interferon-gamma