Of mice and men: use of animal models to identify possible interventions for the prevention of autoimmune type 1 diabetes in humans.
Animal model and clinical studies indicate that type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from T cell-mediated autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cells. This review discusses the knowledge gained from animal models about the nature of the autoreactive T cells that cause T1D and the possible basis for their development. Based on this information, the possible positive and negative aspects of various antigen-specific and non-specific immunotherapies, which could potentially prevent the onset of T1D in at risk individuals, are discussed.
Serreze
David V
DV
The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA. dvs@jax.org
Chen
Yi-Guang
YG
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*