Identification of protein tyrosine phosphatase-like IA2 (islet cell antigen 512) as the insulin-dependent diabetes-related 37/40K autoantigen and a target of islet-cell antibodies.

The majority of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) have Abs to 40- and/or 37-kDa tryptic fragments (37/40K-Abs) deriving from an unidentified islet cell membrane protein distinct from glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). Recently, autoantibodies against ICA512, which has identity with the protein tyrosine phosphatase-like protein IA2, were reported. In this study we have examined whether IA2/ICA512 is the Ag specificity of 37/40K-Abs, and one of the determinants of islet cell Abs (ICA) detected by immunofluorescence. Serum from 51 of 100 new onset IDDM patients immunoprecipitated 40- and/or 37-kDa insulinoma polypeptides, and 53 immunoprecipitated in vitro translated rIA2; 49 had both 37/40K-Abs and rIA2 Abs. There were strong correlations between the levels of Abs to rIA2 and both 40 kDa (r = 0.85, p < 0.0001) and 37 kDa (r = 0.70, p < 0.0001) insulinoma polypeptides. Trypsin treatment of immunoprecipitated rIA2 yielded 40- and 37-kDa fragments, and preincubation of sera with rIA2 completely inhibited binding to the insulinoma 40- and 37-kDa polypeptides. IA2 Ab levels also correlated with ICA titer in GAD-Ab negative sera, and preincubation with rIA2 reduced ICA staining intensity in sera with ICA and IA2 Abs, but not in sera with ICA in the absence of IA2 Abs. These results provide clear evidence for the identification of IA2/ICA512 as the precursor of the islet 40- and 37-kDa polypeptide autoantigens and as one of the ICA specificities. Combined detection of Abs to IA2 and GAD65 in a single radio-binding assay identified Abs in 88 of 100 IDDM patients, and potentially facilitates population screening for IDDM risk assessment.