title: An immunopotentiator of beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan prevents diabetes and insulitis in BB rats.
abstract: The preventive effect of an immunopotentiator, beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan, on the development of diabetes and insulitis was studied in BB rats. The intravenous administration of 1 mg kg-1 week-1 of beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan from the age of 4 weeks decreased the cumulative incidence of diabetes from 43.3% (13/30) to 6.7% (2/30) (P less than 0.005) and also the incidence of insulitis from 82.4% (14/17) to 26.3% (5/19) at the age of 20 weeks (P less than 0.002). Eight of nine rats were free from diabetes for 5 weeks after stopping beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan at the age of 20 weeks. The total numbers of leukocytes in the peripheral blood and spleen of the rats were increased by beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan treatment (P less than 0.05), whereas their T lymphocytes subsets were not changed. These data indicate that immunopotentiators could modulate the autoimmune mechanisms directed to pancreatic islets and inhibit the development of diabetes in BB rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ehime University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kida
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaino
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeuchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005936:Glucans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015994:Incidence; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D051381:Rats; D011913:Rats, Inbred BB; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D005936:Glucans; C033671:epiglucan