[Auto-immunity and insulin-dependent diabetes].

Many observations suggest that auto-immune process are activated during the beta-cell destruction in insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD): they include association with organ specific auto-immune disease, frequency of circulating anti-organ antibodies, circulating anti-islet cell antibodies, insulitis-like lesions in the pancreas and in vitro lymphocytic reaction against pancreatic antigens. However, it is still uncertain if these reactions are actually involved in the beta cell destruction. Cytotoxicity experiments on beta cells in culture and animal models support this hypothesis.