Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether the proportion of circulating B cells expressing the differentiative antigen CD5 was increased in children affected by type 1 diabetes, and whether the number of these cells was correlated with the presence of anti-islet cell autoantibodies. Sixteen children affected by insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1) were investigated for the presence of B lymphocytes bearing the CD5 surface molecule, T-cell- specific activation markers, organ- and nonorgan-specific autoantibodies. The number of CD5+CD19+ cells was higher in type 1 children with a very recent onset of the disease, as compared with patients on insulin therapy for more than 30 days and controls (P<0.05). No correlation was found between the number of CD5+CD19+ cells and the presence of either organ- or nonorgan-specific autoantibodies. Our results indicate that CD5+CD19+ cells are involved in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in children. A potential immunoregulatory role of this B cell population is discussed.
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Received: 28 February 1997 / Accepted in revised form: 4 September 1997
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De Filippo, G., Cosentini, E., Pozzi, N. et al. Increased CD5+CD19+ B lymphocytes at the onset of type 1 diabetes in children. Acta Diabetologica 34, 271–274 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s005920050087
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s005920050087