Reduced blood leukocyte and neutrophil numbers in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes

Horm Metab Res. 2013 Jun;45(6):467-70. doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1331226. Epub 2013 Jan 15.

Abstract

Very little is known about the role of the innate immune system in the course of human type 1 diabetes. Here we investigated neutrophil numbers along with other leukocyte populations in patients at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and during prediabetes. Complete and differential blood counts were analyzed from 107 adult patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, 21 children with persistent islet autoantibodies and a family history of type 1 diabetes, and 1 238 age and gender matched control subjects, all individuals without any signs of acute infection.Adult patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes had significantly lower total WBC (p<1×10⁻⁶), neutrophil (p<1×10⁻⁶), basophil (p<1×10⁻⁶), monocyte (p=4×10⁻⁶) and lymphocyte (p<1×10⁻⁶) counts compared to control subjects. Erythrocyte, eosinophil and platelet counts did not differ between groups. Similarly, children with persistent islet autoantibodies had decreased WBC (p=0.001), neutrophils (p=0.003), and lymphocytes (p=0.006) in comparison to control children. Our findings demonstrate a perturbation of leukocyte homeostasis at and prior to onset of type 1 diabetes suggesting a general involvement of the innate immune system in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / blood*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Leukocytes / cytology*
  • Leukocytes / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neutrophils / cytology*
  • Neutrophils / immunology
  • Young Adult