Pancreatic alpha cell autoantibodies and glucagon response to arginine.
The frequency and significance of cytoplasmic pancreatic alpha cell autoantibodies (ACA) were investigated in 2102 healthy controls, 879 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) who were negative for islet cell autoantibodies (ICA), and 1567 relatives of IDDM patients. ACA were found in approximately 1 in 200 people of all ages and were not significantly associated with IDDM, the IDDM-associated HLA phenotypes DR3 and DR4, or thyrogastric or adrenal autoantibodies. Of 11 ACA-positive patients studied by arginine stimulation tests, none had frank glucagon deficiency. Thus, ACA do not appear to be associated with defective alpha cell function or with IDDM.
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood*; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010295:Parietal Cells, Gastric / Q000276:immunology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D005934:Glucagon; D001120:Arginine