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[Interleukin 12 as an anti-angiogenic mediator in type 1 diabetic children]
Katarzyna Zorena1, Jolanta Myśliwska, Małgorzata Myśliwiec
1Zakład Immunologii AM w Gdańsku. kzorena@amg.gda.pl
Insights
In type 1 diabetes, a balance between IL-12 and TNFalpha cytokines is key. High IL-12 levels may prevent or delay kidney complications but do not protect against retinopathy.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Diabetology
Background:
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) is an autoimmune disease characterized by pancreatic beta-cell destruction.
- Cytokines like IL-12 and TNFalpha play crucial roles in immune regulation and inflammation.
- Understanding cytokine profiles in DM1 can offer insights into disease progression and complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze Interleukin-12 (IL-12) levels in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1).
- To correlate IL-12 findings with the clinical course and development of diabetic complications.
Main Methods:
- Studied 102 children with DM1 and 39 healthy controls.
- Assessed urine albumin excretion, HbA1c, C-peptide, blood pressure, and ophthalmologic status.
- Measured serum IL-12 and TNFalpha using ELISA, categorizing DM1 patients into groups based on IL-12 levels.
Main Results:
- Children with high IL-12 (Group A) had absent TNFalpha, lower urine albumin excretion, and only retinopathy.
- Children with undetectable IL-12 and high TNFalpha (Group B) developed retinopathy, nephropathy, and hypertension.
- Group A patients showed better outcomes than Group B, with Group C (high IL-12, some TNFalpha) having no retinopathy or nephropathy.
Conclusions:
- A balance between IL-12 and TNFalpha appears to be crucial for preventing diabetic complications in DM1.
- Dominance of IL-12 may prevent or delay nephropathy but does not offer protection against retinopathy.
- Further research into cytokine modulation could offer therapeutic strategies for DM1 complications.
Unlabelled:
The objective of the study was to analyse levels IL-12 and to relate the findings to the clinical course of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1).
Material And Methods:
We examined a group of 102 children with DM1 and 39 healthy children (as the control). All the children with DM1 had their daily urine albumin excretion, HbA1c, C-peptide measured, 24hrs blood pressure monitoring and ophthalmologic examination. In accordance to the ophthalmologic examination and level IL-12 in the serum the diabetic children were divided into 3 groups: group A: IL-12>0 pg/ml; group B: IL-12=0 pg/ml; group C: IL-12=0 pg/ml and IL12>0 pg/ml. Serum levels of IL-12 and TNFalpha were measured by the immunoenzymatic ELISA method, Quan-tikine High Sensitivity Human by R&D Systems (USA).
Results:
Children of group A were characterized by significantly high level of IL-12 and by the absence of TNFalpha as compared with the children of group B, who had undetectable IL-12 along with high TNFalpha level. Additionally, children of group A had significantly lower urine albumin excretion and had only developed retinopathy. However, the children of group B not only had retinopathy, nephropathy but also arterial hypertension. The patients of group A were also analysed against the children of group C, who were characterized by high IL-12 level and some of them had also detectable TNFalpha, but without retinopathy and nephropathy.
Conclusions:
The results of our study imply the existence of balance between IL-12 and TNFalpha in type 1 DM children, which seems to warrant the stage of disease without diabetic complications. However, the IL-12 domination tends to prevent or delay nephropathy development but does not protect from retinopathy.
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