Diabetes mellitus and immunity

Abstract

The present report discusses the immunogenic properties of insulin: the factors upon which immunogenicity depends, the characteristics of insulin antibodies, clinical aspects (insulin allergy, immunologic insulin resistance, lipodystrophy, etc.), as well as the significance of highly purified insulin products. The authors then review the role of autoimmunity in the etiopathogenesis of the diabetic disease as results from the association of diabetes with other autoimmune diseases, lymphocytic islet cell infiltration, phenomena of cell mediated and humoral mediated autoimmunity (islet cell antibodies). The present pathogenetic model of insulin-dependent diabetes (type 1) is marked by the predominance of these aspects. The last part of the report concerns immunologic functions in diabetics and the question of immune complexes.