Antibody-dependent and natural killer cytotoxicity in type 1 diabetes

The antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and the spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity against Chang liver cells in relation to the levels of circulating K-cells (low affinity E-rosetting cells) were investigated in 23 newly diagnosed insulin-dependent (Type 1) diabetics, and in 17 unaffected islet cell antibody-positive subjects. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity was significantly increased in those newly diagnosed diabetics with K-cells levels greater than 2 SD above the mean of normal controls (p less than 0.02). A similar but not significant trend was also found in islet cell antibody-positive subjects with raised K-cells. Spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity was not different in any of the groups. These results lend further support to the concept that antibody-dependent lymphocyte cytotoxicity is enhanced in type 1 diabetes at diagnosis.