The frequency of islet cell surface antibodies and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) of mononuclear cells in HLA-typed patients with high diabetes risk

: To evaluate the significance of ICSA as a prognostic marker for the development of type I diabetes we investigated 66 subjects with first degree relatives of type I (47) and type II (9) diabetes as well as subjects with anamnestical data suggestive of diabetes. Patients were studied for glucose tolerance (oGTT) and IRI-response, ICSA (indirect fluorescence of living rat islet cell suspensions), ADCC (specific 51Cr-release of serum pretreated neonatal rat islets elicited by mononuclear cells) and HLA-antigens. 23 subjects revealed normal glucose tolerance, 17 impaired glucose tolerance and 26 had a prevoius abnormality. The incidence of ICSA varied between 46 and 53 per cent, that of positive ADCC between 22 and 56 per cent, both being highest in subjects with IGT. 87 per cent of all patients revealed diabetes associated HLA-antigens. We found no correlation of ICSA with glucose tolerance, IRI-response, ADCC and HLA-antigens. In conclusion it can be said that ICSA are present in a high percentage in patients with high diabetes risk but their predictive role as a marker for the manifestation must be elucidated in follow-up studies.