Soluble T-cell markers and serum cytokines in type I (insulin-dependent) Diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Markers of cell-mediated immune activation were studied in 32 Chinese patients with recent-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) as compared with 12 patients with recent-onset non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and 34 normal subjects. Sera were assessed for soluble markers of T-cell activation (sCD4, sCD8, sIL-2R); the cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6), and T-cell subsets were also determined. Only 1 of the 32 IDDM patients had increased sCD4 levels, 5 had increased sCD8, and 3 had increased sIL-2R. None of the sera from NIDDM patients and control subjects showed such increased levels of soluble markers. Three IDDM patients had detectable IL-1β and this weakly so (