Antigen-based prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes.

2. INTRODUCTION Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes develops as the result of a cumulative autoimmune-mediated destruction of the pancreatic beta cells mainly in genetically predisposed individuals. The disease becomes clinically manifest when 50-90% of the beta cells are destroyed (1) following a long prodromal period (months to years) during which autoimmune phenomena are often present, including mononuclear cell infiltration in the islets of Langerhans and circulation of islet cell autoantibodies. This review will provide a brief introduction to type 1 diabetes followed by an in-depth discussion of the current knowledge of antigen-based prediction and prevention/intervention of autoimmune diabetes focusing on glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 kDa (GAD65), one of the main autoantigens.