Abstract
Background and Objectives: Autoimmune diabetes mellitus (DM) or type-1 is a heterogenic disease which results from destruction of beta cells. Human leukocyte antigens, especially class II antigens, play a crucial pathogenic role in disease development. The prevalence of HLA antigens differs in many ethnic groups in different geographical areas. In this study, the freguency of HLA antigens determined in patients living in Tabriz city and the data compared with those of other countries and races.
Material and Method: Two groups of subjects from the region were selected; the sample group consisted of 50 type1 diabetic patients and the control group consisted of 25 healthy subjects. After separating mononuclear cells from heparinizied blood samples by Ficoll-Hypaque, the complete panel of class I and class II antigens were examined and measured by microlymphocytotoxicity technique.
Results: The frequency of DR3(P=0.046), DR4(P=0.000), DQ2(P=0.028), DR3/DR4(P=0.049) and DR3/DQ2(P=0.025) was much higher in patient compared to healthy subjects and all these antigens act as an etiologic factor in the patients group. On the contrary, DR15/16(2)(P=0.021), DQ3(P=0.022) and DQ7(3)(P=0.037) had a negative association with the disease because these antigens had a high frequency among the control (healthy) group in comparison with the sample (patient) group. Among all class I antigens, A69(28)(p=0.045) and CW6(P=0.042) antigens represented a positive association while B38(16)(P=0.034) antigen represented a negative correlation with type 1 DM. Moreover, BW6 and DQ2 had a higher frequency among female patients than the male ones (P= 0.047 and P= 0.034, respectively).
Conclusion: The findings of this research represent that the screening leukocyte antigens, especially class II antigens, can be regarded as a valuable method in the recognition and determination of those subjects who are at the risk of the disease.