T-CELL AUTOIMMUNITY IN TYPE-1 DIABETES-MELLITUS

Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is a T-cell mediated autoimmune di sease. Several beta-cell antigens, mostly non-tissue-specific, have be en implicated in the disease process. The antigens and the autoimmune T cells exist in healthy individuals, as do many of the genes required for the development of diabetes. The question, then, is why and how e xposure to undefined environmental agents activates an existing autoim mune potential and directs it to damage the beta cells.