Immune changes associated with insulin dependent diabetes may remit without causing the disease: a study in identical twins.
Activation of T lymphocytes and islet cell antibodies were studied in two groups of insulin dependent diabetics and their non-diabetic identical cotwins. Group 1 comprised 12 "short term" twin pairs (diabetic twin diagnosed less than five years previously) in whom only a third of the cotwins were likely to develop diabetes; 10 of the 12 non-diabetic cotwins showed increased values of activated T lymphocytes, islet cell antibodies, or both. Group 2 comprised 10 "long term" twin pairs (diabetic twin diagnosed more than 11 years previously) in whom none of the non-diabetic cotwins was likely to develop diabetes; these pairs were selected because all the non-diabetic cotwins had shown islet cell antibodies at some time in the past, but only two still did so (one with an increased value of activated T cells). There was relative glucose intolerance in the cotwins of the short term group but not in those of the long term group. Non-diabetic cotwins of diabetics may show the immune changes associated with insulin dependent diabetes and relative glucose intolerance, but these changes may remit without leading to diabetes.
Millward
B A
BA
Alviggi
L
L
Hoskins
P J
PJ
Johnston
C
C
Heaton
D
D
Bottazzo
G F
GF
Vergani
D
D
Leslie
R D
RD
Pyke
D A
DA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014427:Twins; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
D000906:Antibodies; D001786:Blood Glucose