Autoantibodies and Cytokines Levels in Type 1 Diabetic Patients

Abstract

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a complete or near-complete insulin deficiency caused by animmune-mediated selective destruction of the insulin-producing β-cells in the Islets of Langerhans. Inflammatory mechanisms play a key role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes.Many findings suggest that the Islet autoantibody status in type 1 diabetes is linked to diseaseactivity.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hypothesis that the systemic immunoregulatory balance, as defined by levels ofcirculating cytokines, is associated with Islet autoantibody status. METHODS: Cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5,IL-10, TNF-β and INF-γ) and Islet autoantibodies (ICA, GADA, IA-2)were measured in 56 patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 20 healthycontrol patients. RESULTS:The three proinflammatory cytokines measured [interleukin-2 (IL-2) , interferon gamma (IFN-γ)and tumor necrosis factor-β (TNF-β)], both TNF-β (50.0 ±5.9) (63.4± 5.4) and INF-γ (13.8 ± 10.9)(13.7 ± 5.5) showed a significant increase (P <0.05) with Islet autoantibody positivity, while theother three cytokines,(IL-4,IL-5 and IL-10), only IL-4 showed a positive increase (54.4 ± 1.4) withIslet autoantibody positivity although it is non- significant association. CONCLUSION: The study reveals the possibility of the of Islet autoantibodies in the domination ofproinflammatory cytokines over the immunoregulatory cytokine