Autoantibodies in Type 1 diabetes

Autoimmune diseases are associated with autoantibodies which recognise specific antigens. Autoantibodies can be detected by various methods including immunofluorescence and radioimmunoassays using disease-specific radiolabelled recombinant autoantigens As recombinant assay have high-throughput potential, it is now even possible to screen whole populations. Diabetes-associated autoantibodies inlcuding autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase are valuable in disease classification and disease prediction. Some autoantibodies are more predictive of diabetes than others. Autoantibodies, and the antigens they recognise, are potentially valuable in the prediction and prevention respectively of type 1 diabetes as well as in the classification of autoimmune diabetes. Screening the general population for type 1 diabetes susceptibility is now feasible. Trials to prevent type 1 diabetes using disease-associated autoantigens are now in progress.