Suppression of low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes by immunomodulatory lectins.
The effect of immunomodulatory lectins on diabetes development following low-dose streptozotocin treatment in inbred mice was studied. All lectins administered had been shown previously to suppress immune reactivity. Among plant lectins concanavalin A but not Lens culinaris or wheat germ agglutinin partially suppressed hyperglycaemia following low-dose streptozotocin. A similar inhibitory effect was found for the staphylococcal enterotoxin B. Finally, administration of an immunomodulatory lectin from vertebrates, electrolectin, also had a beneficial effect on the course of the disease. These findings indicate that some lectins have a suppressive effect on Type 1 diabetes in an animal model.
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
D001786:Blood Glucose; D037102:Lectins