Changes in CD4+CD25HIGH T cells and TGFβ1 levels in different stages of adult-onset type 1 diabetes

Previous studies suggested an important role of impairments in T cell subsets in different stages during type 1 diabetes (T1D) development, while data regarding CD25high T cells and transforming growth factor b1 (TGFβ1), both T regulatory associated, remains controversial. We analyzed the level of (a) CD25high T cells (b) TGFβ1 in 17 first-degree relatives of patients with T1D in stage 1 (FDRs1) (GADA+, IA-2+); 34 FDRs in stage 0 (FDRs0) (GADA, IA-2); 24 recent-onset T1D in insulin-requiring state (IRS); 10 patients in clinical remission (CR); 18 healthy, unrelated controls (CTR). T cell subsets were characterized by two-color immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry; TGFβ1 was determined by ELISA, GADA, and IA-2 by RIA. The percentage of CD25high T cells in FDRs1 was lower than controls, FDRs0, IRS, and CR (p