Vitamin E supplementation reduces the incidence of diabetes but not insulitis in NOD mice.
The incidence of diabetes was reduced in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice fed a diet containing 1000 IU/kg of vitamin E. Histologic examination of the islets of these mice, however, disclosed a frequency of insulitis that approximated the frequency found in animals fed conventional diets. The vitamin E-treated mice were not immunosuppressed, as judged by normal T cell subsets in the spleen and normal T cell proliferative responses to concanavalin A. NOD mice deprived of vitamin E were also protected from diabetes. However, these mice had delayed growth, reduced T cell numbers in the spleen, and impaired proliferative responses to mitogens, which is indicative of secondary immunodeficiency. The data are consistent with the view that antioxidant treatment may limit immunologically mediated damage to islet beta cells.
Hayward
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AR
Barbara Davis Childhood Diabetes Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver 80262.
Shriber
M
M
Sokol
R
R
D000818:Animals; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014810:Vitamin E