Aim of study: To assess some immunological and immunogenetic aspects in patients with latent autoimmune (Type-1) diabetes mellitus (DM) of adults (LADA).
Subjects: 24 patients with LADA, 11 patients with Type-2 DM and 20 healthy volunteers (Pilot study). PARAMETERS TESTED: HLA-DRB1* and HLA-DQB1* alleles, parameters of cellular immunity (CD4+, CD8+, CD3/HLA-DR+, CD8/HLA-DR+, CD45RA+[CD4], CD16+CD56), CD19+, IL-4, INF-gamma and organ specific (OSA) autoantibodies (against thyroid gland, gastric parietal cells, tubuli, basal membranes of glomerulus, AMA and ABBA).
Results and discussion: Type-1 DM HLA-DRB1* and HLA-DQB1* risk alleles have been found in a majority of patients with LADA. The most frequent were HLA-DRB1*0301 and DQB1*0201. Assessement of parameters of cellular immunity and cytokine profiles (IL-4 a INF-gamma) in peripheral blood did not reveal any contribution to a differentiation between Type-1 and Type-2 DM). We confirmed increased occurence of OSA in patients with LADA, what stress importance of routine screening for OSA in patients with LADA.