[Autoantibodies in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus].

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is considered an autoimmune disease. The immune response is targeted on autoantigens of B-cells of the islets of Langerhans. The most important autoantigens are glutamic acid decarboxylase, protein tyrosine phosphatase and insulin. Despite the fact that their role in the pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is not clear, they are used in diagnosis and can identify subjects at high risk for the development of the disease.