Autoantibodies to albumin in the plasma of patients with diabetes mellitus. Relationship with circulating immune complexes.

Anti-albumin antibodies that recognize glutaraldehyde treated albumin have been detected in diabetes mellitus, belonging to all immunoglobulin classes. Anti-albumin antibodies have been found to be closely associated with circulating immune complexes, suggesting a role in their formation. It is suggested that such immune complexes may account for the positive immunofluorescence findings of albumin, immunoglobulin and complement in blood vessels previously reported in diabetes mellitus.