Abstract
Autoaggression against pancreatic islet cells has been described in patients with diabetes mellitus. Based on the hypothesis that a loss of immune regulatory suppressor T cells could be important in the development of these autoaggressive reactions, we examined suppressor T cell function in 14 children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Suppressor cell activity was determined by assessing the effect of concanavalin A-treated lymphocytes on the one-way mixed leukocyte culture reaction. Suppressor cell activity was demonstrated in 15 of 15 normal controls. However, 11 of 14 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus lacked suppressor T cell function. In our sample, age, sex, duration of diabetes mellitus and control of the disease did not correlate with the presence or absence of suppressor cell activity. Our data suggest that decreased suppressor T cell function may be important in the pathogenesis of some forms of diabetes mellitus. The relationship of HLA (HLA-A,B,C,D) and suppressor T cell function in diabetes mellitus is being investigated.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Horowitz, S., Borcherding, W. & Bargman, G. 864 SUPPRESSOR T CELL FUNCTION IN DIABETES MELLITUS. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 507 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00869
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00869