B lymphocytes not required for progression from insulitis to diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice.
Previous studies have implicated B lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of diabetes in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse. While it is clear that B lymphocytes are necessary, it has not been clear at which stage of disease they play a role; early, late or both. To clarify when B lymphocytes are needed, T lymphocytes were transferred from 5-week-old NOD female mice to age-matched NOD/severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) recipient mice. NOD/SCID mice, which lack functionally mature T and B lymphocytes, do not normally develop insulitis or insulin-dependent diabetes melitus (IDDM). The NOD/SCID mice that received purified T lymphocytes from 5-week-old NOD mice subsequently developed insulitis and diabetes even though they did not have detectable B lymphocytes. This suggests that while B lymphocytes may be essential for an initial priming event they are not requisite for disease progression in the NOD mouse.
Charlton
B
B
John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Zhang
M D
MD
Slattery
R M
RM
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D010179:Pancreas / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology