64,000-MR AUTOANTIGEN IN TYPE-I DIABETES - EVIDENCE AGAINST ITS SURFACE LOCATION ON HUMAN ISLETS

Abstract

The sera of type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic subjects are reported to contain autoantibodies against a 64,000-Mr protein identified in [35S]methionine biosynthetically labeled pancreatic islet cells. We have attempted to localize this autoantigen to the surface of the beta-cell and to define its properties. Sera from 10 newly diagnosed type I diabetic subjects, including five of the index sera originally used to identify the autoantigen, were shown to specifically precipitate a reduced protein of 67,000 Mr from Triton-solubilized, surface 125I-labeled cultured adult human islet and rat insulinoma (RINm5F) cells but not from fresh rat spleen cells. Further characterization revealed that th..