E. Giardina et al., ANTI-SINGLE-STRANDED DNA ANTIBODY IN THE SERA OF PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2DIABETES-MELLITUS - RELATION TO VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS, Acta diabetologica, 34(1), 1997, pp. 39-41
Anti-single-stranded(ss)DNA antibodies were searched for by enzyme-lin
ked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the serum of 202 outpatients with n
on-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 135 healthy subjects to inv
estigate their prevalence in the serum of patients with type 2 diabete
s and their relationship with the presence of vascular complications.
Of the 202 patients 128 had vascular complications. Anti-ssDNA antibod
ies were observed to be significantly more frequent in the serum of pa
tients with vascular complications (33.6%) and in particular in patien
ts with overt nephropathy (50%) than in patients without complications
(6.7%) or controls (6.7%). Anti-ssDNA antibodies have been previously
described in patients with type I diabetes before clinical evidence o
f vascular disease, and their cross-reactivity with a variety of anion
ic biological molecules or cells, i.e. platelets and endothelial cells
, assessed. It seems not unreasonable that these autoantibodies detect
ed in patients with type 2 diabetes could be of importance in the path
ogenesis or progression of angiopathy.