Cell-mediated immunity in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in diabetic ketoacidosis, patients with controlled Type 2 diabetes mellitus and healthy control subjects

Abstract

Immune modulation accompanying metabolic dysfunction can adversely affect outcome of a non infectious disease 
such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Peripheral T lymphocyte subsets were analyzed with monoclonal antibodies 
via manual counting by the indirect immunofluorescence method, in type 2 Diabetes mellitus patients in DKA, 
controlled T2DM patients as well as normal healthy controls (NHC).There was a significant decrease in CD4+ T cells 
alongside a non significant increase in CD8+ T cells in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) compared to 
controlled T2DM patients and normal healthy controls. Ratio of CD4/CD8+ T cells was also lowest in DKA. These T cell 
changes in patients with DKA reflect an abnormal immunoregulatory mechanism in parallel with an impaired 
metabolic process and may lead to enhanced beta cell damage and increased susceptibility to DKA crisis in T2DM 
patients.