The ABBOS-peptide from bovine serum albumin causes an IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA response in lymphocytes from children with recent onset of type 1 diabetes

• Published in: Diabetes research and clinical practice 2000-03, Vol.47 (3), p.199-207
• Main Authors: Karlsson, Maria G.E., Ludvigsson, Johnny
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ABBOS; Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Autoantibodies - blood; Biological and medical sciences; C-Peptide - blood; Cattle; Cells, Cultured; Child; Child, Preschool; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - immunology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Humans; IFN-γ; IL-4; Insulin Antibodies - blood; Interferon-gamma - blood; Interferon-gamma - genetics; Interleukin-4 - blood; Interleukin-4 - genetics; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - immunology; Medical sciences; MEDICIN; MEDICINE; Middle Aged; Milk; Peptide Fragments - pharmacology; Reference Values; RNA, Messenger - blood; Serum Albumin, Bovine - immunology; Serum Albumin, Bovine - pharmacology; Th-lymphocytes; Transcription, Genetic - drug effects; Type 1 diabetes
• ISSN: 0168-8227; 1872-8227; 1872-8227
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-8227(99)00127-8

The ABBOS-peptide from bovine serum albumin (BSA) in cow’s milk has been suggested to initiate the autoimmune process against the β-cells leading to type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to elucidate if the ABBOS-peptide is a possible trigger of type 1 diabetes. The cytokines IL-4 and IFN-γ were determined at the level of transcription as mRNA in lymphocytes, stimulated with the ABBOS-peptide. Sixteen children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were compared with 10 healthy controls matched for the diabetes associated HLA-type DR3/4. Antibodies to bovine serum albumin (BSA), insulin antibodies (IA), and antibodies against islet cells (ICA) were determined, as well as serum C-peptide. Increased mRNA expression for IFN-γ and/or IL-4 could be observed in lymphocytes from 13/16 children with recent onset of diabetes after in vitro stimulation with the ABBOS-peptide. Low expression of IFN-γ mRNA was associated with high secretion of C-peptide, whereas a positive relationship could be observed between expression of IL-4 mRNA and insulin antibodies. Expression of IFN-γ and/or IL-4 mRNA was also detected in lymphocytes from 6/10 healthy controls. ABBOS may have a role as a reactive epitope in the upregulation of the autoimmune process against the β-cells but ABBOS does not seem to cause any specific Th1 response. An increased mRNA expression could also be seen in lymphocytes from healthy controls. Thus, the ABBOS-peptide might just cause or reflect an unspecific immune activity.