Circulating immune complexes and peripheral B lymphocytes in non insulin dependent diabetic patients.

Serum circulating immune complexes (CIC) were measured in 27 patients with non insulin dependent diabetes (NIDD). This was done by measuring the degree of binding to human red blood cells by the C3b complement fraction. At the same time, the percentage of B lymphocytes in peripheral blood was evaluated by means of the direct immunofluorescence technique for surface IgG and EAC rosettes for cells with receptors to C3b complement fraction. Twenty normal control subjects were simultaneously studied by the same methodology. An increase in serum CIC was observed in NIDD patients, as compared to healthy subjects. Values were 35.8 +/- 3.2 and 25.6 +/- 2.1 micrograms/ml, respectively. The percentage of cells with surface IgG was 10.2 +/- 0.8 in diabetic patients; this value was significantly higher than that found in the control group (6.0 +/- 0.8). No significant quantitative difference in the percentage of EAC binding cells was found between NIDD patients and the control group. When NIDD patients were divided into two groups, those with and those without microvascular complications, neither differences in CIC levels nor in the percentage of B lymphocytes were found. Nor any correlation could be found between the highest individual CIC levels and the highest percentage of lymphocytes with surface IgG. These data show an increase of CIC levels and of cells with surface IgG in NIDD patients who had not received insulin at least not in a constant or prolonged therapy. This could allow us to suspect the existence of antigen-antibody complexes different to insulin-antiinsulin CIC found in insulin dependent diabetes.