Role of the autoantibodies and IL- 17 cytokine in the pathogenesis diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a complex multifactorial and heterogeneous syndrome characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from inadequate insulin secretion and/or insulin action. T lymphocytes and macrophages appear to play an important role in mediating ß-cell damage and causing Type 1 diabetes. A case-control study is done during the period from Feb., 2011, through the end of Feb. 2012. The study enrolled 90 diabetic patients divided into three groups Type 1, Type2 and LADA (30 patients in each group) who attended in Al Zahraa Teaching Hospital in Al-Kut city & 25 non diabetic as a control to determine the prevalence of islet cell autoantibodies, glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (ICAs& GADAs) and measured IL-17cytokine was measured in diabetic patients and non-diabetic control with no family history of diabetes. Serological tests for GADA & ICA (by using ELISA) have been done for all sera of the study groups. Dual set ELISA technique is used for estimating the cytokine levels in the sera of all study groups. According to the results of this study, Type 1 diabetic patients had higher frequency of GADA 65 autoantibodies compared with other study groups, as eighteen of them (60%) showed GADA positive in comparison to 6.6 % in type 2 DM, 56.7% in LADA and 0% in control group. Furthermore, twenty of type 1 diabetic patients which represent (66.7%) were ICA positive in comparison to 33.33% in type 2 DM, 70% in LADA and 4% in control group. Statistical analysis showed highly significant difference. the IL-17 level has been elevated significantly in the sera of type 1 (927.9±906.9 pg./ml), type 2 (599.5±75.66 pg./ml) and LADA (388.2±533.5 pg./ml) diabetics patient’s positive autoantibodies in comparison with other groups type 1, type 2 and LADA diabetics patients negative autoantibodies and healthy control(62± 37.26 pg./ml).