Abstract
To the Editor: The ability to develop antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to a variety of antigens is known to be under genetic control in animals.1 In men, immune responsiveness to certain antigens2 , 3 might also be governed by genes of the major histocompatibility complex. Since juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus is closely associated with HLA B8, BW15 and CW34 and humoral immune response to exogenous insulin is under control of genes linked to major histocompatibility complexes in mice5 , 6 we investigated the role of HLA genes on insulin antibody formation in juvenile-onset diabetes.IgG-insulin-binding capacity was studied by radioimmunoelectrophoresis,7 and 36 HLA . . .