Insulin Prophylaxis in Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Prevention of type 1 diabetes

This article discusses type 1 diabetes mellitus, which results from insulin deficiency caused by autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta-cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. The autoimmune response against islet beta-cells is believed to result from a disorder of immunoregulation. According to this concept, T lymphocytes (T cells) autoreactive to certain beta-cell constituents exist normally but are restrained by regulatory (suppressor) T cells. Activation of beta-cell autoreactive T cells together with deficient regulatory T cell responses is believed to result in clonal expansion of autoreactive T cells, and these cells may elicit a cascade of beta-antigen specific (T cell) immune and nonspecific inflammatory responses that destroy islet beta-cells. Islet beta-cells autoreactive T cells seem to secrete type 1 cytokines, whereas regulatory T cells may secrete type 2 and type 3 cytokines; therefore, type 1 diabetes may result from a relative dominance of type 1 cytokines over type 2 and type 3 cytokines. These concepts derive mainly from studies in animal models with spontaneous autoimmune diabetes, and the evidence in humans with type 1 diabetes is sparse. Nevertheless, the concept of type 1 diabetes as a disorder of immunoregulation has spurred clinical trials of diabetes prevention based on strategies directed at diverting the immune response from autoimmunity to self-tolerance, for example, by administration of beta-cell autoantigens, and by attempting to tip the immune balance in favor of the production or action of type 2 and type 3 cytokines over type 1 cytokines.

Cytokines and their roles in pancreatic islet beta-cell destruction and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a disease that results from autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta-cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. The autoimmune response against islet beta-cells is believed to result from a disorder of immunoregulation. According to this concept, a T helper 1 (Th1) subset of T cells and their cytokine products, i.e. Type 1 cytokines--interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFNgamma), and tumor necrosis factor beta (TNFbeta), dominate over an immunoregulatory (suppressor) Th2 subset of T cells and their cytokine products, i.e. Type 2 cytokines--IL-4 and IL-10. This allows Type 1 cytokines to initiate a cascade of immune/inflammatory processes in the islet (insulitis), culminating in beta-cell destruction. Type 1 cytokines activate (1) cytotoxic T cells that interact specifically with beta-cells and destroy them, and (2) macrophages to produce proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and TNFalpha), and oxygen and nitrogen free radicals that are highly toxic to islet beta-cells. Furthermore, the cytokines IL-1, TNFalpha, and IFNgamma are cytotoxic to beta-cells, in large part by inducing the formation of oxygen free radicals, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite in the beta-cells themselves. Therefore, it would appear that prevention of islet beta-cell destruction and IDDM should be aimed at stimulating the production and/or action of Type 2 cytokines, inhibiting the production and/or action of Type 1 cytokines, and inhibiting the production and/or action of oxygen and nitrogen free radicals in the pancreatic islets.