DIABETES BIOMARKERS

1 . A method of determining the effectiveness of a therapy for an autoimmune disease or condition in a subject comprising:

selecting a subject undergoing a therapy for an autoimmune disease or condition,

extracting a sample from said subject,

measuring the CD4 central memory (CD45RO+CD62L+) T-cell subpopulation and optionally measuring the CD4 T-cell naïve (CD45RO-CD62L+) subpopulation in said sample, and

evaluating the effectiveness of the therapy, wherein

a low or decreasing CD4 central memory T-cell level or

a high or increasing ratio of the CD4 T-cell naïve to CD4 central memory T-cell subpopulation during said therapy indicates effective therapy.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said sample is incubated with a labeled antiCD45RO antibody and a labeled antiCD62L antibody prior to the measuring step.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring comprises subjecting said sample to flow cytometry.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said sample is a blood sample.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the decreasing CD4 central memory T-cell level or the increasing ratio is relative to the level or ratio from said extracted sample at different time points.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the decreasing CD4 central memory T-cell level or the increasing ratio is relative to a standardized level or ratio, or to level or ratio obtained from a sample extracted before therapy starts.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a low or decreasing CD4 central memory T-cell level during said therapy indicates effective therapy.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring comprises measuring both the CD4 central memory T-cell subpopulation and the CD4 T-cell naïve subpopulation and wherein a high or increasing ratio of the CD4 T-cell naïve to CD4 central memory T-cell subpopulation during said therapy indicates effective therapy.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said therapy is for a diabetic condition.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining the presence of a diabetes-related autoantibody.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the diabetic condition is Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

12 . A method of diagnosing an autoimmune disease, pre-autoimmune disease, a susceptibility to an autoimmune disease, or the effectiveness of therapy for one or more of such conditions in a subject comprising:

selecting a subject having or suspected of having an autoimmune disease, pre-autoimmune disease, or a susceptibility to an autoimmune disease,

determining a level of CD4 naïve (CD45RO-CD62L+) T-cells by immunofluorescence analysis of a sample extracted from the subject;

determining a level of CD4 central memory (CD45RO+CD62L+) T-cells by immunofluorescence analysis of a sample extracted from the subject, and

quantitatively relating the levels of the CD4 naïve and CD4 central memory T-cells, wherein a low or decreasing ratio of CD4 naïve T-cells to CD4 central memory T-cells or a high or increasing CD4 central memory T-cell level indicates autoimmune disease, pre-autoimmune disease, a susceptibility to autoimmune or ineffectiveness of a treatment for one or more of such conditions.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said autoimmune disease is diabetes mellitus or pre-diabetes, wherein a low or decreasing ratio of CD4 naïve T-cells to CD4 central memory T-cells or a high or increasing CD4 central memory T-cell level indicates diabetes, pre-diabetes, or a susceptibility to diabetes mellitus.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: determining the presence of a diabetes-related antibody selected from glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 antibodies, islet-cell antigen-512 antibodies, insulin antibodies or other islet-cell autoantibodies.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the diabetic condition is Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the sample is incubated with a labeled antiCD45RO antibody prior to analysis.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein measuring comprises subjecting said sample to flow cytometry.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said sample is a blood sample.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said decreasing and/or increasing level or ratio is relative to the level or ratio from said extracted sample at different time points or is relative to a standardized level or ratio.

20 . A method of determining the time until onset of autoimmune disease or the level of effectiveness of different intervention modalities comprising:

obtaining a subject;

extracting one or more sample(s) from said subject;

measuring the central memory (CD45RO+CD62L+) T-cell subpopulation level and optionally measuring the CD4 T-cell naïve (CD45RO-CD62L+) subpopulation level in said sample(s), and

calculating the change in said CD4 central memory T-cell subpopulation level and/or the change in the ratio of the CD4 T-cell naïve to CD4 central memory T-cell subpopulation between two or more sample or between two or more measurements in one sample made at different time points,

wherein a decrease in said ratio and/or higher CD4 central memory T-cell levels correlate with either a shorter time to onset of autoimmune disease or less effective intervention.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said subject has autoantibodies or other biomarkers specific for the autoimmune condition.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said subject has at least one diabetes-related antibody selected from glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 antibodies, islet-cell antigen-512 antibodies, insulin antibodies or other islet-cell autoantibodies, and wherein a decrease in said ratio and/or higher CD4 central memory T-cell levels correlate with shorter time to onset of diabetes mellitus.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein each unit of increase from baseline in Log central memory T cells correlates to a decrease in C-peptide concentration of approximately −0.178 ng/mL.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein at least two samples are extracted from said subject at between 2 and 12 months apart.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein at least two samples are extracted from said subject at between 3 and 6 months apart.

26 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the sample extracted from said subject is measured at at least two different time points that are between 1 and 6 months apart.

27 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said sample is incubated with a labeled antiCD45RO antibody prior to the measuring step.

28 . The method of claim 20 , wherein measuring comprises subjecting said sample to flow cytometry.

29 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said sample is a blood sample.

30 . The method of claim 20 , wherein an increase in said level and/or a decrease in said ratio is relative to the level or ratio before therapy is started or relative to a standardized level or ratio.

31 . The method of claim 20 , wherein an increase in said level and/or a decrease in said ratio is relative to the level or ratio at an earlier time point from the same sample.

32 . A method of targeted drug development for autoimmunity comprising:

extracting a sample from one or more subjects,

isolating the central memory (CD45RO+CD62L+) T-cell subpopulation and optionally isolating the CD4 T-cell naïve (CD45RO-CD62L+) subpopulation in said sample, and

develop drug(s) specifically targeting these or subset of these cells based on their disease specific characteristics.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein said method is a method of targeted drug development for diabetes.