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We investigated whether screening for insulinoma-associated protein (IA-2) beta (IA-2β) autoantibodies (IA-2βA) and zinc transporter-8 (ZnT8) autoantibodies (ZnT8A) improves identification of first-degree relatives of type 1 diabetic patients with a high 5-year disease risk, which to date has been based on assays for insulin autoantibodies (IAA), GAD autoantibodies (GADA) and IA-2 autoantibodies (IA-2A). IA-2βA and ZnT8A (using a ZnT8 carboxy-terminal hybrid construct, CW-CR, carrying 325Arg and 325Trp) were determined by radiobinding assay in 409 IAA+, GADA+ and/or IA-2A+ siblings or offspring (<40 years) of type 1 diabetic patients consecutively recruited by the Belgian Diabetes Registry. The median (interquartile range) age of the first-degree relatives was 12 (6–19) years. Of the first-degree relatives, 24% were IA-2A+ ( n = 97), 14% ( n = 59) IA-2βA+ and 20% ( n = 80) ZnT8A+. IA-2βA and ZnT8A were significantly ( p < 0.001) associated with IA-2A and prediabetes ( n = 86); in IA-2A− first-degree relatives ( n = 312) the presence of IA-2βA and ZnT8A was associated with an increased progression rate to diabetes ( p < 0.001). Positivity for IA-2A and/or ZnT8A emerged as the most sensitive combination of two markers to identify first-degree relatives with a 5-year progression rate to diabetes of 45% (survival analysis) and as strongest predictor of diabetes (Cox regression analysis). Omission of first-degree relatives protected by HLA-DQ genotypes or maternal diabetes reduced the group to be followed from n = 409 to n = 246 (40%) with minor loss in the number of prediabetic IA-2A+ or ZnT8A+ first-degree relatives identified ( n = 3). IA-2A+ and/or ZnT8A+ first-degree relatives may be the participants of choice in future secondary prevention trials with immunointervention in relatives of type 1 diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibodies against islet cell antigens are used as predictive markers of type 1 diabetes, but it is unknown whether they reflect an ongoing autoimmune process in islet tissue. We investigated whether organs from adult donors that are positive for autoantibodies (aAbs) against islet cell antigens exhibit insulitis and/or a reduced beta-cell mass. Serum from 1,507 organ donors (age 25-60 years) was analyzed for islet cell antibodies (ICAs), glutamate decarboxylase aAbs (GADAs), insulinoma-associated protein 2 aAbs (IA-2As), and insulin aAbs. Tissue from the 62 aAb+ donors (4.1%) and from matched controls was examined for the presence of insulitis and for the relative area of insulin+ cells. Insulitis was detected in two cases; it was found in 3 and 9% of the islets and consisted of CD3+/CD8+ T-cells and CD68+ macrophages; in one case, it was associated with insulin+ cells that expressed the proliferation marker Ki67. Both subjects belonged to the subgroup of three donors with positivity for ICA, GADA, and IA-2-Ab and for the susceptible HLA-DQ genotype. Comparison of relative beta-cell area in aAb+ and aAb- donors did not show a significant difference. Insulitis was found in two of the three cases that presented at least three aAbs but in none of the other 59 antibody+ subjects or 62 matched controls. It was only detected in <10% of the islets, some of which presented signs of beta-cell proliferation. No decrease in beta-cell mass was detected in cases with insulitis or in the group of antibody+ subjects.