Insulin autoantibody

Insulin autoantibody (IAA) is an autoantibody targeted against insulin, a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The presence of IAA is often associated with Type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases.

Overview

IAA is one of the autoantibodies that can be detected in the early stages of Type 1 diabetes, often before the onset of clinical symptoms. It is one of the four main autoantibodies associated with Type 1 diabetes, the others being glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA), insulinoma-associated-2 autoantibodies (IA-2A), and zinc transporter 8 autoantibodies (ZnT8A).

Role in Type 1 Diabetes

In individuals with Type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly attacks the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. The presence of IAA indicates that this autoimmune response has begun. However, not all individuals with IAA will develop Type 1 diabetes, and the autoantibody can also be found in individuals without the disease.

Detection and Significance

IAA can be detected through a blood test. The presence of IAA, along with other diabetes-associated autoantibodies, can help predict the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. This is particularly useful in screening relatives of individuals with Type 1 diabetes, as they are at a higher risk of developing the disease.

See Also

• Type 1 diabetes
• Autoantibody
• Insulin
• Beta cell