title: Transgenic mice with I-A on islet cells are normoglycemic but immunologically intolerant.
abstract: Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is caused by a specific loss of the insulin-producing beta cells from pancreatic Langerhans islets. It has been proposed that aberrant expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules on these cells could be a triggering factor for their autoimmune destruction. This proposal was tested in transgenic mice that express allogeneic or syngeneic class II molecules on the surface of islet cells at a level comparable with that normally found on resting B lymphocytes. These animals do not develop diabetes, nor is lymphocyte infiltration of the islets observed. This immunological inactivity does not result from tolerance to the "foreign" class II molecules.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire des Eucaryotes du CNRS--Unité 184, Institut de Chimie Biologique, Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Böhme
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haskins
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stecha
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van Ewijk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LeMeur
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerlinger
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benoist
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mathis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D005914:Globins; D004247:DNA