ISSN:
1432-0428
Keywords:
Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes
;
non-obese diabetic mouse
;
T cells
;
macrophages
;
concanavalin A
;
interleukin 2
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Spleen cells from non-obese diabetic mice were found to generate low interleukin 2 production and cell proliferation in response to concanavalin A. However, some of non-obese diabetic mice maintained in the same environment preserved their responsiveness to this T cell mitogen. Non-obese diabetic mice at every age had a higher percentage of Thyl.2, L3T4, and Lyt2-positive spleen cells than did control mice, suggesting that the dysfunction of spleen cells did not depend on the number of T cells or the ratio of these subpopulations. Evidence for macrophage-mediated suppression participating in the deficient function of splenic lymphocytes in this mouse model of insulin-dependent diabetes includes: 1) the restoration of mitogen-induced interleukin 2 production after the macrophages have been depleted by silica absorption form spleen cells; 2) the complete suppression of the cell proliferation by thioglycollate-stimulated peritoneal exudate cells from non-obese diabetic and control mice, and the partial suppression by spleen macrophages from non-obese diabetic mice; 3) the reversal of the suppression of interleukin 2 production by the prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor indomethacin (0.1–1 μg/ml); 4) the partial suppression of interleukin 2 production, conversely, by the exogenous prostaglandins E1 and E2 (2.5×10−6 mol/l). These results indicate that the activated macrophages existing among the spleen cells suppress the response of splenic T cells to concanavalin A. This impairment may contribute to the pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00265407
