Abstract
We used a novel radioligand binding assay to investigate antibodies against the 65, 000 isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65Ab) in Japanese diabetics. GAD65Ab was detected in 50.0%(28/56) of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients, 46.7%(14/30) of slowly progressive IDDM patients, and 5.9%(9/153) of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients. The frequencies of GAD65Ab were 76.5% in IDDM and 71.4% in SPDM at the time of diagnosis. Both the frequencies and levels of GAD65Ab were inversely correlated with disease duration.
Because of its high diagnostic value and low cost, detection of GAD65Ab by the radioligand binding assay is a useful means of screening among Japanese diabetic patients.
