Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a complete or near-complete insulin deficiency caused by an
immune-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 disease
activity.
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the hypothesis that the systemic immunoregulatory balance, as defined by levels of
circulating 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 healthy
control 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 the
other three cytokines,(IL-4,IL-5 and IL-10), only IL-4 showed a positive increase (54.4 ± 1.4) with
Islet autoantibody positivity although it is non- significant association.
CONCLUSION:
The study reveals the possibility of the of Islet autoantibodies in the domination of
proinflammatory cytokines over the immunoregulatory cytokine