title: Natural killer cell depletion and diabetes mellitus in the BB/Wor rat (revisited).
abstract: The BB/Wor diabetes-prone rat is an animal model of human insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In this model of spontaneous autoimmunity, natural killer cells are candidate cytotoxic effector cells, believed to be the mediators of beta-cell cytolysis in vivo. We therefore studied the effects of an anti-natural killer cell monoclonal antibody on the spontaneous development of diabetes in the BB/Wor rat. The 3.2.3 monoclonal antibody recognizes a molecular present on rat natural killer cells and selectively depletes these cells in vivo. Chronic treatment of diabetic-prone rats with 3.2.3 monoclonal antibody cleared circulating phenotypic natural killer cells, depleted in vitro spleen natural killer cell function, and profoundly reduced intra-islet accumulation of 3.2.3+ cells, but did not prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. These results indicate that natural killer cells are not necessary for the development of spontaneous diabetes in BB/Wor rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ellerman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wrobleski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rabinovitch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Like
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011913:Rats, Inbred BB; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens