Similar alterations of lymphocyte subpopulations in type I and type II diabetes.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes of diabetes mellitus patients were analyzed by flow-cytometry using monoclonal antibodies directed against cell surface markers present in T- and B-cells, monocytes and natural killer cells. The lymphocyte subsets were quantified and expressed in an absolute amount. The study included 17 patients with type I (insulin-dependent), 21 patients with type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes and 40 age-matched control subjects. Quantification of the cells present within different lymphocyte subsets revealed a general increase in both patient groups compared to their controls, with the exception of activated T-cells. However, no significant difference was found in the relative amount of T-helper cells and T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells of the diabetes patients when they were compared with their control groups. The fact that we found similar changes in lymphocyte subsets in both type I and type II diabetes suggests that the altered immunological state is secondary to the diabetes mellitus in general.
Department of Internal Medicine, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, Netherlands.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes