Immunological studies in children with type I diabetes mellitus and their healthy relatives: in vitro antigen stimulated IgM production, T-cell subsets and islet-cell antibodies.
Several defects in immunoregulation have been described in patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). We have looked at immunoregulatory T-cell subsets autoantibodies and in vitro IgM production in IDDM patients and their healthy first degree relatives. The proportions of total T-cells (OKT11+), helper/inducer (OKT4+), suppressor/cytotoxic T-cells (OKT8+) and OKT4/OKT8 ratio were normal in 8 patients as well as in their 26 family members and in 40 age-matched controls. Anti islet-cell antibodies (ICA) were found in sera of 6 out of 17 patients (35%) in 1 out of 62 (1.6%) family members and in none of the age-matched healthy controls. A significant increase of in vitro IgM production was found in 8 patients (130 +/- 10 PFC/10(6) cultured cells, mean +/- S.E.) as compared to 21 healthy controls (57 +/- 5.0) (p less than 0.01). In vitro IgM production by B-cells of 22 family members was also increased compared to controls (83 +/- 8.0) (p greater than 0.05). This increased antibody production is characteristic for clinical states associated with impaired immunoregulation, and reflects perturbation of immunoregulatory mechanisms in IDDM.
Etzioni
A
A
Department of Pediatrics A, Rambam Medical Center, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.
Vardi
P
P
Benderly
A
A
Katz
R
R
Pollack
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C024211:islet cell antibody