The genetics of autoimmune diabetes. Approaching a solution to the problem

Molecular genetics has had a substantial impact on our understanding of inherited susceptibility to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Alleles at the HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 loci appear to have the greatest influence on diabetogenesis. Other promising loci are present on chromosome 11 in the vicinity of the insulin gene. We have sought not only to improve our prediction of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus but also to reveal the underlying immune and nonimmune defects that predispose to autoimmune beta-cell destruction. Continued advances in the field of genetics will aid in the prevention of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, which is our ultimate goal.