Aim of study: To assess some immunological and immunogenetic aspects in patients with latent autoimmune (Type-1) diabetes mellitus (DM) of adults (LADA). Subjects: 24 patients with LADA, 11 pacients with Type-2 DM and 20 healthy volunteers (Pilot study). Parameters tested: HLA- DRB1* and HLA-DQB1* alleles, parameters of cellular immunity (CD4+, CD8+, CD3/HLA-DR+, CD8/HLA-DR+, CD45RA+[CD4], CD16+CD56), CD19+, IL-4, INF-g and organ specific (OSA) autoan- tibodies (against thyroid gland, gastric parietal cells, tubuli, basal membranes of glomerulus, AMA and ABBA). Results and discussion: Type-1 DM HLA-DRB1* and HLA-DQB1* risk alleles have been found in a majority of patients with LADA. The most frequent were HLA-DRB1*0301 and DQB1*0201. Assessement of parameters of cellular immunity and cytokine profiles (IL-4 a INF-g) in peripheral blood did not reveal any contribution to a differentiation between Type-1 and Type- 2 DM). We confirmed increased occurence of OSA in patients with LADA, what stress importance of routine screening for OSA in patients with LADA.

        Key words: Latent autoimmune diabetes mellitus - LADA - HLA-DRB1* - HLA-DQB1* - Cellular immunity - Cytokines - Organ specific autoantibodies