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Immune Regulatory T Cells in Siblings of Children Suffering from Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Author(s) -
Michalek J.,
Vrabelova Z.,
Hrotekova Z.,
Kyr M.,
Pejchlova M.,
Kolouskova S.,
Faresjö M.,
Stechova K.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2006.01837.x
Subject(s) - il 2 receptor , human leukocyte antigen , immune system , immunology , type 1 diabetes , diabetes mellitus , allele , regulatory t cell , biology , medicine , antigen , t cell , endocrinology , genetics , gene
Patients with type 1 diabetes are suffering from defects in immune regulatory cells. Their siblings may be at increased risk of type 1 diabetes especially if they are carriers of certain human leucocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. In a prospective non‐randomized study, we intended to evaluate 31 healthy siblings of paediatric patients with type 1 diabetes and explore immune regulatory populations of CD4 + CD25 + T cells and natural killer (NK) T cells. Tested siblings of type 1 diabetes patients were stratified according to the HLA‐associated risk of possible diabetes development. Immune regulatory function of CD4 + CD25 + T cells was tested in vitro . Significant differences in CD4 + CD25 + but not in NK T cells have been identified. Siblings of type 1 diabetes patients carrying high risk HLA alleles (DQA1*05, DQB1*0201, DQB1*0302) had significantly lower number of immune regulatory CD4 + CD25 + T cells than the age‐matched healthy controls or siblings carrying low‐risk HLA alleles (DQB1*0301, DQB1*0603, DQB1*0602). Regulatory function of CD4 + CD25 + T cells demonstrated a dose‐escalation effect. In siblings of type 1 diabetes patients, the defect in immune regulatory CD4 + CD25 + T cells exists in association with genetic HLA‐linked risk for type 1 diabetes.