ANTI-SINGLE-STRANDED DNA ANTIBODY IN THE SERA OF PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2DIABETES-MELLITUS - RELATION TO VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS

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.