Research Article

Prevalence and fate of type 1 diabetes-associated autoantibodies in cord blood samples from newborn infants of non-diabetic mothers

  1. Anu-Maaria Hämäläinen1,
  2. Jorma Ilonen2,
  3. Olli Simell3,
  4. Kaisa Savola1,
  5. Petri Kulmala1,
  6. Antti Kupila3,
  7. Tuula Simell3,
  8. Risto Erkkola4,
  9. Pentti Koskela5,
  10. Mikael Knip6,*

Article first published online: 21 NOV 2001

DOI: 10.1002/dmrr.232

Issue

Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews

Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews

Volume 18, Issue 1, pages 57–63, January/February 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Hämäläinen, A.-M., Ilonen, J., Simell, O., Savola, K., Kulmala, P., Kupila, A., Simell, T., Erkkola, R., Koskela, P. and Knip, M. (2002), Prevalence and fate of type 1 diabetes-associated autoantibodies in cord blood samples from newborn infants of non-diabetic mothers. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, 18: 57–63. doi: 10.1002/dmrr.232

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Paediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

  2. 2

    Turku Immunology Centre and Department of Virology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

  3. 3

    Department of Paediatrics and the Medicity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

  4. 4

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

  5. 5

    National Public Health Institute, Oulu, Finland

  6. 6

    Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

*Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, PO Box 281, FIN-00029 HUCH, Finland.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 MAR 2002
  2. Article first published online: 21 NOV 2001
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 31 JUL 2001
  4. Manuscript Revised: 16 JUL 2001
  5. Manuscript Received: 4 JAN 2001

Funded by

  • Medical Research Council
  • Academy of Finland. Grant Number: 26109
  • Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International. Grant Number: 197032
  • The Alua and K. A. Snellman Foundation, Oulu, Finland
  • Finish Medical Foundation
  • Novo Nordisk Fondation
  • Diabetes Research Foundation
  • Foundation for Pediatric Research

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (91K)

Keywords:

  • islet autoantibodies;
  • newborn infants;
  • transplacental transfer;
  • type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Background

Cord blood samples were collected from 1002 consecutive births at Turku University Hospital to study the prevalence and fate of type 1 diabetes-associated autoantibodies in newborn infants of unaffected mothers.

Methods

The samples were analysed for cytoplasmic islet cell antibodies (ICA), autoantibodies to the 65 kD isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), autoantibodies to the protein tyrosine phosphatase related IA-2 antigen (IA-2A), insulin autoantibodies (IAA) and HLA DQB1 genotypes.

Results

ICA were detected in 27 cord blood samples (2.7%), with a median of 6 (range 4–34) JDF units. GADA were found to be positive (≥6.6 RU) in six samples (0.6%), with a median of 66 (range 19–125) RU. IA–2A (≥0.43 RU) were observed in three samples (0.3%), with a median of 1.3 (range 0.8–57) RU, while only one cord blood sample (0.1%) tested positive for IAA (≥1.56 nU/ml) with a value of 5.4 RU. Maternal or gestational age, sex and birth weight of the infant were not related to antibody prevalence or titres. Altogether there were 29 infants with antibody positivity in their cord blood (2.9%). Five of these (0.5%) tested positive for two antibodies (ICA and GADA), and one was positive for all four antibodies measured. All nine infants from whom follow-up samples were available became antibody negative by the age of 15 months, and in all but one case inverse seroconversion occurred by the age of 9 months.

Conclusions

Around 3% of infants of non-diabetic mothers in Finland have diabetes-associated autoantibodies at birth, and these antibodies disappear at the latest by the age of 15 months. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (91K)