Abstract

SUMMARY:
BACKGROUND:
In Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), numerous changes in the cellular as well humoral immune response have been identified. However, it is not known whether both the CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulation or only one of these or CD19+contains increased numbers of activated cells.
OBJECTIVE:
The aim was to study the activated lymphocyte subpopulation by use of monoclonal antibodies to T-cell and B-cell antigens which is known to be expressed on activated cells.
METHODS:
A total of 60 T1DM patients who had newly onset of the disease (diagnosed was from one week up to five months) were included in the present study, all the patients were treated with daily replacement doses of insulin. Fifty apparently healthy control subjects underwent the PBL phenotyping. Phenotyping of surface antigens was done by direct Immunoflurocent (IFT) technique using mouse antihuman CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RA, CD19, and activated markers CD45RO, DR-antigen and CD38.
RESULTS:
T1DM patients showed a remarkable lowering in CD3+, CD8+, and CD45RA+ cells (p<0.0001), but the decrease in CD4+ cells percentage was not significant. In contrast, a significant elevation of activation markers includes (CD45RO+, HLA-DR+ and CD38+ cells) were observed in patients in addition to a significant increase of CD19+ cell percentage and CD4+: CD8+ ratio in the patients.
CONCLUSION:
This study provides evidence that abnormalities of T-cells regulation are detectable in patients with T1DM.