T-lymphocyte subpopulations in type I diabetes mellitus. A longitudinal study.
Monoclonal antibodies were used to characterize peripheral T-lymphocyte subpopulations in 23 patients with type I diabetes mellitus. Initial measurements were made at diagnosis and in 10 of the patients further studies were carried out at 1, 3 and 6 months. T-cell subsets were also measured in 16 patients with type II diabetes, in 16 patients with various autoimmune diseases and in 17 healthy control subjects. At diagnosis, the type I diabetic patients showed a significant decrease in the percentage of cytotoxic/suppressor cells. Both total T-cells and helper/inducer cells were normal. However, when the helper/inducer population was analyzed in the context of islet cell antibodies (ICAs), it was found that those patients possessing ICAs had significantly higher proportions of helper/inducer cells than those lacking them. A significant inverse correlation was seen between the proportions of total T-cells and NK/K cells. At 1 month, the proportions of cytotoxic/suppressor cells returned to normal, whilst the helper/inducer cells showed a transient depression. By 6 months, the only change seen was a significant increase in the percentage total t-cells. No relationship was found between T-cell subset perturbation and metabolic control, as assessed by measurement of hemoglobin A1 (HbA1). The type II diabetic patients showed a significant increase in the percentage of total T cells. The autoimmune patients also showed a significant increase in the proportions of total T-cells; this appeared to reflect an increase in the helper/inducer subset. In the autoimmune patients these findings occurred in conjunction with significant decreases in the absolute numbers of each T-cell subset. It is surmised that, in some cases of type I diabetes, alterations in immune homeostasis may permit autoimmune processes, which lead to cell damage at the onset of diabetes.
Richens
E R
ER
Jones
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WG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000473:pathology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000473:pathology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin