Th1 and th2 imbalance and autoantibodies in healthy first degree relatives of patients with type-1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract EN

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is believed to result from autoimmune destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas.

This imbalance is determined by the counteraction between the various cytokines produced by T cells.

As the pathogenesis of diabetes starts long before the occurrence of the overt symptoms, one approach to investigate the immunopathogenesis of diabetes is to study the first-degree relatives of affected individuals.

Our objective was to investigate T cell imbalances and autoantibody production in first-degree relatives of type 1 DM patients in comparison to the patients themselves and normal healthy controls.

Our results indicate that IL-2 mean value in first -degree relatives is significantly higher than that of the control but still significantly lower than that of type I DM patients .The IL-10 mean value in first-degree relatives was significantly lower than that of the control but still significantly higher than that of the type 1 DM patients.

The percentage of islet cell antibodies (ICA) and GAD antibodies showed a statistically high significant difference between type 1 DM patients and both first-degree relatives and control, whereas there is a significant difference between first-degree relatives and control subjects.

The percentage of insulin antibodies (IA) was significantly higher in type 1 DM patients than the other 2 groups, but there was no significant difference between first-degree relatives and control group.

In summary, we have demonstrated that healthy family members of type 1 DM patients exhibit an imbalance production of cytokines from the T cells together with production of antibodies against islet autoantigens.

Thus, healthy family members share many of the immunoregulatoiy abnormalities involved in diabetes.

Follow up of these subjects is recommended to see whether or not they develop diabetes.