In autoimmune diabetes the transition from benign to pernicious insulitis requires an islet cell response to tumor necrosis factor alpha.
The islet-infiltrating and disease-causing leukocytes that are a hallmark of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus produce and respond to a set of cytokine molecules. Of these, interleukin 1beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interferon (IFN)-gamma are perhaps the most important. However, as pleiotropic molecules, they can impact the path leading to beta cell apoptosis and diabetes at multiple points. To understand how these cytokines influence both the formative and effector phases of insulitis, it is critical to determine their effects on the assorted cell types comprising the lesion: the effector T cells, antigen-presenting cells, vascular endothelium, and target islet tissue. Here, we report using nonobese diabetic chimeric mice harboring islets deficient in specific cytokine receptors or cytokine-induced effector molecules to assess how these compartmentalized loss-of-function mutations alter the events leading to diabetes. We found that islets deficient in Fas, IFN-gamma receptor, or inducible nitric oxide synthase had normal diabetes development; however, the specific lack of TNF- alpha receptor 1 (p55) afforded islets a profound protection from disease by altering the ability of islet-reactive, CD4(+) T cells to establish insulitis and subsequently destroy islet beta cells. These results argue that islet cells play a TNF-alpha-dependent role in their own demise.
Pakala
S V
SV
Center for Immunology and Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Chivetta
M
M
Kelly
C B
CB
Katz
J D
JD
D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002678:Chimera; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D018390:Gene Targeting; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009392:Nephrectomy; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D013311:Streptozocin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor
D015703:Antigens, CD; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D017471:Receptors, Interferon; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D013311:Streptozocin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019014:fas Receptor; D000096743:Interferon gamma Receptor; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse