title: Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in the pancreas of mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Type 1 diabetes has been recognized as an organ specific autoimmune disease owing to the immune destruction of pancreatic islet beta cells in genetically susceptible individuals. In both human and rodent models of type 1 diabetes, such as nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, biobreeding rats, the disease has a distinct stage characterized by immune cells infiltrating in the pancreas (insulitis). The major populations of infiltrating cells are macrophages and T lymphocytes. Therefore, immune cell infiltration of pancreatic islets may be a crucial step in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 can specifically attract monocytes in vivo. Interferon induced protein-10 has chemoattractant effects on the activated lymphocytes. In this study, we analysed the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in the pancreas of mice and interferon inducible protein-10 mRNA in the pancreas of NOD mice, and discussed their possible role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The immunohistochemical method and immunoelectronmicroscopy were used to evaluate the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in the pancreas of NOD mice and BALB/c mice. RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and interferon inducible protein mRNA in NOD mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was positive in the pancreas of NOD mice, whereas negative in the pancreas of BALB/C mice. RT-PCR showed that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and interferon inducible protein-10 mRNA could be found in the pancreas of NOD mice. Immunoelectronmicroscopy demonstrated that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was produced by beta cells and stored in the cytoplasm of the cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pancreatic islet beta cells produce monocyte chemoattractantprotein-1 in NOD mice. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 may play an important part in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes by attracting monocytes/macrophages to infiltrate pancreatic islets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China. ldcmu@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Su-wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Dong-juan
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guo-liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhong-yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Shan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000235:genetics; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D012333:RNA, Messenger