Pancreatic alpha cell autoantibodies and glucagon response to arginine.

ABSTRACT

The frequency and significance of cytoplasmic pancreatic alpha cell autoantibodies (ACA) were investigated in 2102 healthy controls, 879 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) who were negative for islet cell autoantibodies (ICA), and 1567 relatives of IDDM patients. ACA were found in approximately 1 in 200 people of all ages and were not significantly associated with IDDM, the IDDM-associated HLA phenotypes DR3 and DR4, or thyrogastric or adrenal autoantibodies. Of 11 ACA-positive patients studied by arginine stimulation tests, none had frank glucagon deficiency. Thus, ACA do not appear to be associated with defective alpha cell function or with IDDM.