Human Leukocyte Antigen and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

  • Cintia Semzezem Centro Universitário de Maringá
  • Alessandra Valéria de Oliveira Centro Universitário de Maringá

Abstract

The type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which main feature is the insulin deficiency due to auto-immune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. Type 1 diabetes is triggered by genetic predisposition and environmental influences. This genetic predisposition is associated with several genes. The human histocompatibility system (HLA) class II is among them, and deserves special attention. HLA system genes are important in blood transfusions and in genetics of populations, in which have been increasingly involved as a genetic marker involved in susceptibility to various diseases. The association of type 1 diabetes with the HLA System allows to assess the risk that a person carrying an antigen or allele has to develop the disease, since this pathology has been increasing in emerging countries, causing negative impacts and promoting the vicious cycle of poverty. The antigens and alleles that offer susceptibility for this disease are detected by serological methods and molecular biology. Therefore, the goal of this study was to indicate which genes show predisposition to type 1 diabetes mellitus, besides presenting the association of HLA system to this endocrinopathy and its environmental factors.

Author Biographies

Cintia Semzezem, Centro Universitário de Maringá
Graduada em Ciências Biológicas pelo Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR. E-mail: ci86_bio@hotmail.com
Alessandra Valéria de Oliveira, Centro Universitário de Maringá
Docente Doutora do Curso de Ciências Biológicas do Centro Universitário de Maringá – CESUMAR. E-mail: alessoli@cesumar.br
Published
2009-08-19
Section
Artigos de Revisão