Characterization of Cellular Immunology in LADA Patients

• Objective: Patients with latent autoimmune diabetes mellitus in adults (LADA) have antibodies against the insulin-producing b-cells but at disease onset they are not insulin-dependent. This study presents cellular immunological differences between LADA, type 1, type 2 diabetes and healthy controls.Research Design and Methods: All patients and matched (by age, gender and body mass index) healthy controls were recruited from the County of Uppsala, Sweden. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from freshly collected blood to determine proportions of innate, adaptive and regulatory immune cells by using flow cytometry. Results: Included were 14 patients with LADA, 16 with type 1 diabetes, 16 with type 2 diabetes and 13 healthy controls. The proportion of CD11c+CD123- antigen presenting cells (APCs) was lower, whilst proportions of CD11c+CD123+ APCs and Interleukin (IL)-35+ tolerogenic APCs were higher in LADA patients compared to patients with type 1 diabetes. The proportion of CD3-CD56highCD16+ Natural Killer (NK) cells was higher in LADA patients than in both healthy controls and type 2 diabetes patients. IL-35+ Treg cell numbers were similar to those observed in both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes patients, but a lower frequency of IL-35+ regulatory T (Treg) cells was observed in LADA patients than in healthy controls. The proportion of regulatory B (Breg) cells in LADA patients was higher than in healthy controls, type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients and IL-35+ Breg cell numbers were higher than in type 1 diabetes patients. Conclusions: LADA patients present a mixed cellular immunological pattern compared to type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients. Numbers of APCs, IL-35+ tolerogenic APCs and IL-35+ Breg cells in LADA patients are similar to those observed in type 2 diabetes patients, whereas the changes in NK cells are similar to those observed in type 1 diabetes patients. 

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Immunologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Immunology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Cellular immunology

latent autoimmun diabetes in adults

diabetes

type 1 diabetes

type 2 diabetes

interleukin 35

Immunologi

Immunology

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