SOX13 is an islet cell autoantigen (ICA12). identified by antibody screenin
g of an islet cDNA library. using sera from patient with Type 1 diabetes. W
e ascertained the frequency of antibody reactivity to SOX13 and compared it
with other Type 1 diabetes autoantibody reactivities. Antibodies were meas
ured by radioimmunoprecipitation (RIP) using S-35 labelled SOX 13 expressed
in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. Sera from 109 subjects with Type 1 diabetes
. 29 with Type 2 diabetes. 144 with other autoimmune diseases and from 201
controls were tested for anti-SOX13, and results were compared with the fre
quency of antibodies: to glutamic acid decarboxylase (anti-GAD), islet cell
antigen 512 (anti-ICA512) and islet cell cytoplasm (ICA). Anti-SOX13 were
detected in 20 (18.34) of 109 subjects with Type 1 diabetes. and more frequ
ently in adults than in children (29% vs 10%). Anti-SOX13 usually occurred
with anti-GAD but rarely with anti-ICA512. Seven sera positive for anti-SOX
13 did not react with either GAD. ICA512 or islet cell cytoplasm indicatin
g that anti-SOX13 represented a distinct population of antibodies. Reactivi
ty to SOX 13 represents a further autoantibody response in adults with Type
1 diabetes and may provide a useful disease marker in subjects in whom oth
er autoantibody tests are negative.