GAD antibody in multiplex diabetic pedigrees of Chinese.

Multiplex diabetic families may be caused by mutations in genes of hepatocyte nuclear factors (matur i ty-onset diabetes of the young [MODY]1, -3, and -5), glucokinase (MODY2), insulin promoter factor-1 (MODY4), NeuroD1 (MODY6), mitochondrion ND1 and tRNA, and some other unknown genetic mutations. Recent studies showed that mutations of MODY are not common causes of diabetes in Chinese diabetic families (1–3), indicating that there may be other causes and mechanisms involved. Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) shares some similar clinical phenotypes with MODY and is common in phenotypic type 2 diabetes (10–25%) (4). This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of GAD antibody (GADA) in multiplex diabetic pedigrees from the ChengDu area of China.