Circulating anti-immunoglobulin antibodies before the onset of Type I diabetes mellitus: Inverse correlation with insulin autoantibodies and rate of progression to diabetes in ICA positive individuals

The presence of anti-immunoglobulin antibodies (αIgAb) compared with that of insulin autoantibodies (IAAb) and islet cell antibodies (ICA), has been investigated in subjects (n=18) at a high risk of developing Type I diabetes, half of whom have subsequently developed the disease. Correlations with clinical parameters or with the rate of progression to diabetes have been evaluated. αIgAb were present in 7 of the 9 patients who developed Type I diabetes (Group A) and in 3 of those without clinical symptoms of the disease (Group B). IAAb were positive in 6 of the 9 subjects in Group A and in 5 of Group B (ICA were present in all the subjects but one). αIgAb were inversely correlated with IAAb. αIgAb levels showed a direct correlation with the number of days to overt diabetes; IAAb levels showed an inverse correlation in a similar evaluation. αIgAb and IAAb, in addition to ICA, are of value in monitoring some of the early pre-clinical pathogenetic events.