Roles of T Helper 1 Cytokines in Type 1 Diabetes

Roles of Interferon Gamma, Interleukin-2 and Tumor Necrotizan Factor Alpha in the Pathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes

The mechanism of β cell destruction in Type 1 diabetes is not exactly known, Our hyphotesis is that interferon gamma, interleukin-2 and tumor necrotizan factor alpha have impotant roles in β cell destruction.

T helper (h)1 cells are known to have important roles in the destruction or/and dedifferentiation of β-cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Significant increase in IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells in the pancreas and in the serum levels were determined in type 1 diabetic patients at diabetes oneset. This data indicated that this proinflammatory mediator serve as a biomarker of advanced autoimmunity. We aimed to investigate the relationship between Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2 and TNF-α) and T1D and the effect of those cytokines on β-cell function.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients giving consent to participate the study
• Patients with type 1 diabetes according to WHO definiton

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute and chronic inflammatory diseases,
• significant concomitant diseases which may interfere with glucose metabolism
• cancers,
• hemoglobinopathies,
• recently received antibiotics,
• drugs influencing β-cell function and
• insulin sensitivity or anti-inflammatory drugs
• recent history of trauma