Presence of Autoantibodies to Carbonic Anhidrase II and Lactoferrin in Type 1 Diabetes Proposal of the concept of autoimmune exocrinopathy and endocrinopathy of the pancreas

Impairment of exocrine as well as endocrine function of the pancreas has been reported in type 1 diabetes (1). Histologically, lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine gland has been reported in about half of Japanese type 1 diabetic patients (2). Fibrosis and atrophy of the exocrine gland have also been reported. On the other hand, the concept of autoimmune pancreatitis has been recently proposed (3). This new clinical entity is characterized by swelling of the pancreas with extensive fibrosis and lymphocyte infiltration in the exocrine pancreas (3,4,5). It has been suggested that carbonic anhidrase II, an antigen of the duct cells of the pancreas, or lactoferrin …