We are pleased to announce the release of our IAA RIA Kit (Cat# KIRM2035) for the determination of Autoantibodies to Insulin (IAA) in human serum. This radioimmunoassay is for research use only and not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), results from a chronic autoimmune destruction of the insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells, probably initiated by exposure of genetically susceptible host to an environmental agent. Autoimmune destruction of beta cells is thought to be completely asymptomatic until 80-90% of the cells are lost. This process may take years to complete and may occur at any time in all ages. The presence of Insulin autoantibodies (IAA) in samples never treated with insulin, as opposed to insulin antibodies (IAb), is evidence of ongoing destruction process of pancreatic beta cells in type 1 diabetes. IAA are particularly important when determining type 1 diabetes risk since their prevalence is significantly elevated in subjects developing the disease in childhood and moreover, they are often the first autoantibodies to be detected before onset of the disease. The prevalence of IAA is inversely correlated with the age of diagnosis. In type 1 diabetics with recent onset of the disease in the age < 5 years IAA can be determined in > 90 % of the samples, whereas in type 1 diabetics in the age > 20 years the prevalence of IAA is < 20 %. As concluded by the Fourth International Workshop for Insulin Autoantibody (IAA) Standardization (1992), liquid-phase assays such as radio-binding assay - RIA is the method of choice - detect IAA of higher predictive value for type 1 diabetes as ELISA. The IAA measurement, together with that of antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65 Ab), protein tyrosine phosphatase-like antigen IA2 forms the basis of current strategies for predicting future onset of type 1 diabetes.

More information: IAA RIA Kit (Cat# KIRM2035)