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Aims: To investigate whether the N‐terminal truncated glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) isoform is as well recognized by people with stiff person syndrome as it is by people with Type 1 diabetes, and whether conformational GAD65 antibody epitopes are displayed properly by the isoform. Methods: GAD65 antibody‐positive healthy individuals (n=13), people with stiff‐person syndrome (n=15) and children with new‐onset Type 1 diabetes (n=654) were analysed to determine binding to full‐length GAD65 and the N‐terminal truncated GAD65 isoform in each of these settings. GAD65 autoantibody epitope specificity was correlated with binding ratios of full‐length GAD65/N‐terminal truncated GAD65. Results: The N‐terminal truncated GAD65 isoform was significantly less recognized in GAD65Ab‐positive people with stiff‐person syndrome (P=0.002) and in healthy individuals (P=0.0001) than in people with Type 1 diabetes. Moreover, at least two specific conformational GAD65Ab epitopes were not, or were only partially, presented by the N‐terminal truncated GAD65 isoform compared to full‐length GAD65. Finally, an N‐terminal conformational GAD65Ab epitope was significantly less recognized in DQ8/8 positive individuals with Type 1 diabetes (P=0.02). Conclusions: In people with stiff person syndrome preferred binding to the full‐length GAD65 isoform over the N‐terminal truncated molecule was observed. This binding characteristic is probably attributable to reduced presentation of two conformational epitopes by the N‐terminal truncated molecule. These findings support the notion of disease‐specific GAD65Ab epitope specificities and emphasize the need to evaluate the applicability of novel assays for different medical conditions. What's new?: Amino acid residues 1‐95 of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 65 have little impact on GAD65 binding by the majority of Type 1 diabetes mellitus‐associated GAD65 antibodies.N‐terminal truncated GAD65(96‐585) shows reduced display of autoantibody epitopes relevant to people with stiff person syndrome or DQ8/8‐positive Type 1 diabetes mellitus.High‐titre GAD65 antibody sera from people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus share some antibody specificities with GAD65 antibodies from people with stiff person syndrome.Specific GAD65 autoantibody epitope recognition may aid in the identification of people with stiff person syndrome, especially those with only moderate GAD65 antibody levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There are seasonal variations and gender differences in incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D), metabolic control and responses to immune interventions at onset of the disease. We hypothesized that there are seasonal and gender differences in residual insulin secretion already at diagnosis of T1D. Methods In 2005, a national study, the Better Diabetes Diagnosis, was started to classify all newly diagnosed children and adolescents with diabetes. About 95% (3824/4017) of the patients were classified as T1D, and our analyses are based on the patients with T1D. Results C-peptide was lower in younger children, 0-10 years of age (0.23 ± 0.20 nmol/L) than in older children, 11-18 years of age (0.34 ± 0.28 nmol/L) ( p < 0.000 ). There was a seasonal variation in non-fasting serum C-peptide, significantly correlated to the seasonal variation of diagnosis ( p < 0.01). Most children were diagnosed in January, February and March as well as in October when C-peptide was highest, whereas fewer patients were diagnosed in April and May when serum C-peptide was significantly lower ( p < 0.01). The seasonal variation of C-peptide was more pronounced in boys than in girls ( p < 0.000 and p < 0.01, respectively). Girls had higher C-peptide than boys ( p < 0.05), especially in early puberty. Conclusions Both seasonal and gender differences in residual beta cell function exist already at diagnosis of T1D. These observations have consequences for treatment and for randomizing patients in immune intervention clinical trials. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Type 1 diabetes and obesity has increased in childhood. We therefore tested the hypothesis that type 1 diabetes human leukocyte antigen DQ (HLA-DQ) risk genotypes may be associated with increased body mass index (BMI).Design:The type 1 diabetes high-risk HLA-DQ A1*05:01-B1*02:01/A1*03:01-B1*03:02 genotype along with lower risk DQ genotypes were determined at the time of clinical onset by PCR and hybridization with allele-specific probes. BMI was determined after diabetes was stabilized.Subjects:A total of 2403 incident type 1 diabetes children below 18 years of age were ascertained in the Swedish national Better Diabetes Diagnosis (BDD) study between May 2005 to September 2009. All children classified with type 1 diabetes, including positivity for at least one islet autoantibody, were investigated.Results:Overall, type 1 diabetes HLA-DQ risk was negatively associated with BMI (P<0.0008). The proportion of the highest risk A1*05:01-B1*02:01/A1*03:01-B1*03:02 genotype decreased with increasing BMI (P<0.0004). However, lower risk type 1 diabetes DQ genotypes were associated with an increased proportion of patients who were overweight or obese (P<0.0001). Indeed, the proportion of patients with the low-risk A1*05:01-B1*02:01/A1*05:01-B1*02:01 genotype increased with increasing BMI (P<0.003). The magnitude of association on the multiplicative scale between the A1*05:01-B1*02:01/A1*05:01-B1*02:01 genotype and increased BMI was significant (P<0.006). The odds ratio in patients with this genotype of being obese was 1.80 (95% confidence interval 1.21-2.61; P<0.006). The increased proportion of overweight type 1 diabetes children with the A1*05:01-B1*02:01 haplotype was most pronounced in children diagnosed between 5 and 9 years of age.Conclusions:Susceptibility for childhood type 1 diabetes was unexpectedly found to be associated with the A1*05:01-B1*02:01/A1*05:01-B1*02:01 genotype and an increased BMI. These results support the hypothesis that overweight may contribute to the risk of type 1 diabetes in children positive for HLA-DQ A1*05:01-B1*02:01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]