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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Electrochemiluminescence Assays for Human Islet Autoantibodies
Published on: March 23, 2018
Autoantibodies in Type 1 diabetes
K D Schmidt1, C Valeri, R D G Leslie
1Department of Diabetes and Metabolism, Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom.
Background:
Autoimmune diseases are associated with autoantibodies which recognise specific antigens.
Methods:
Autoantibodies can be detected by various methods including immunofluorescence and radioimmunoassays using disease-specific radiolabelled recombinant autoantigens As recombinant assay have high-throughput potential, it is now even possible to screen whole populations.
Results:
Diabetes-associated autoantibodies including autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase are valuable in disease classification and disease prediction. Some autoantibodies are more predictive of diabetes than others.
Conclusions:
Autoantibodies, and the antigens they recognise, are potentially valuable in the prediction and prevention respectively of type 1 diabetes as well as in the classification of autoimmune diabetes. Screening the general population for type 1 diabetes susceptibility is now feasible. Trials to prevent type 1 diabetes using disease-associated autoantigens are now in progress.
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