Complements system in diabetes mellitus: Activation of complement sysyem. Evidenced by C3D elevation in IDDM

Abstract

To characterize the insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in terms of the complement system, some components of the system as well as the related substances and indics were studied. CH50, C3, C4 and C3bINA significantly increased in both IDDM and NIDDM compared with the non-diabetic healthy control. ACH50 was also elevated in NIDDM, whereas it was similar in IDDM and the control. Besides, serum concentration of C3d, a breakdown product of C3, was higher in IDDN than NIDDM and the healthy control, but that in NIDDM was not different significantly from the control. P1Hgl was not different among IDDM, NIDDM and non-diabetic control. These findings suggest that there is a high level of complements in both types of diabetes mellitus, but the complement activation seems to be enhanced in IDDM compared with NIDDM. © 1988, The Japan Society for Clinical Immunology. All rights reserved.