[Level of expression of gene CTSL and its correlation with natural killer T-Cells in mexican pediatric patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes].

To compare the level of expression of the gene CTSL and its correlation with NKT cells in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D), their siblings, and healthy controls.,Analytical cross-sectional design. Patients with T1D < 3 months evolution, their siblings, and healthy controls were included. Percentages and absolute numbers of NKT cells were measured with expression of the CTSL gene.,124 subjects: with T1D (n = 48), siblings (n = 44) and controls (n = 32) were included. HbA1c was greater and C-peptide lower in T1D than the other groups and sibling age was higher (p < 0.001). There were no differences in NKT cells between T1D (0.176 ± 0.202) and controls (0.118 ± 0.133), but the percentage was higher in siblings (0.246 ± 0.188; p = 0.002). Lower level of expression of the CTSL gene associated with both absolute number (r: 0.4607; 95% CI: -0.08425 to -0.7935; p = 0.043) and percentage of NKT cells (r: 0.4540; 95% CI: -0.0927 to -0.7903; p = 0.045) in the T1D group.,Patients with T1D have lower percentage and absolute number of NKT cells compared to their siblings. NKT cells absolute numbers are correlated with the expression of CTSL in T1D patients.