Diabetes-Specific Antibodies and Their use in Clinical Practice

ABSTRACT

Type 1A diabetes results from the destruction of the insulin-secreting islet b-cells by an immune-mediated process. In the majority of patients, the clinical course is typical and there is no doubt about the diagnosis. However, the measurement of autoimmune diabetes markers is very useful in some situations such as differential diagnosis of type 1A diabetes and early-onset type 2 diabetes, as well as  in the detection of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) cases. Moreover, in the type 1A diabetes prevention studies, autoimmune markers are needed for detection of individuals under risk and for their follow-up. The autoantibodies widely used in clinical course are: ICAs, IAA, GADA and IA-2 / IA-2b. Recently, a novel marker, ZnT8A, is described as a b-cell-specific antibody. In the present paper, the assay and clinical use of diabetes-specific autoantibodies are reviewed.