Diabetes, Vol 39, Issue 6 697-701, Copyright © 1990 by American Diabetes Association
Dependence of antigen expression on functional state of beta-cells
K Aaen, J Rygaard, K Josefsen, H Petersen, CH Brogren, T Horn and K Buschard
Bartholin Institute, Kommunehospitalet, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Antigen expression corresponding to anti-islet cell surface monoclonal
antibodies IC2 and A2B5 was studied. IC2 is a rat-rat hybridoma
autoantibody produced from the BB rat; among islet cells, IC2 is beta-cell
specific. A2B5 is an anti-ganglioside antibody described as labeling
beta-cells. Islets of Langerhans from Lewis rats were isolated and cultured
for 18 h in RPMI-1640 with five different glucose concentrations (2.2, 3.3,
5.5, 11.1, and 18.3 mM). In some experiments, islets were precultured for 2
or 3 days. After isolation of islet cells and antibody labeling, the
percent of IC2+ beta-cells in the different groups increased from 33.3,
34.5, 40.9, and 57.2 to 58.6% (P less than 10(-6). For A2B5, the percent of
labeled islet cells increased from 37.4, 41.8, 46.7, and 53.8 to 56.2% (P
less than 10(-4). Thus, increasing glucose concentration leading to higher
beta-cell activity implies an increase in antigen expression. Neither A2B5
nor IC2 reacts with insulin, as shown by absorption experiments and immune
electron microscopy of binding sites. Electron microscopy of
IC2-gold-labeled islet cells substantiated the beta-cell specificity of
IC2. In conclusion, expression of the corresponding antigens to IC2 and
A2B5 depends on the functional state of the beta-cells; because this has
been shown to be an important factor in the development of
insulin-dependent diabetes, our findings may be of potential pathogenetic
interest.