Abstract

DETECTION OF CYTOTOXIC T LYMPHOCYTE ANTIGEN -4 (CTLA4) IN TYPE 1 DIABETES PATIENTS IN IRAQ BY ELISA.

Haifa M. Fahad*

Abstract

Background: CTLA-4 (Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4), also known as CD152, is a protein that acts as an important regulator of the immune system. This study aimed to detect of CTLA4 in type1 diabetes patients (T1D), and compared with healthy control subjects, and determination of GAD autoantibody. Materials and Methods :- 66 Iraqi T1D patients who were referred to ALKindy Specialized Center For Diabetes and Endocrinology and the Central Child Hospital and 20 blood samples from healthy control were enrolled in this study during the period between June to the end of December 2012.Their ages between(1-18 year), are divided into three groups, newly diagnosed, chronic patients and healthy control groups. All cases were subjected to a thorough history taking, full clinical examinations and investigations which include; glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) autoantibody levels and CTLA4 detection by using ELISA. Results: GAD autoantibody level was significantly higher in patient groups (newly diagnosed and chronic patients) compared with healthy controls. The serum level of (CTLA-4) in serum samples was, appeared to have a low concentration in chronic patients, and newly diagnosed compared with healthy control, while the correlation between CTLA4 and GAD autoantibody was non significant. Conclusion: High concentration of GAD autoantibody was found in the most of T1D patients and is a very robust tools for predication of developing of T1D, and low concentration of CTLA-4 antigen was found in T1D patients.

Keywords: CTLA-4, T1D, GAD, ELISA.