Abstract
Ten out of 20 (50%) 17-week-old female NOD/WEHI mice developed an acute form of autoimmune diabetes when injected with two large doses of cyclophosphamide (CY), given at 14-day intervals. If these mice were treated under a prophylactic regimen with 2.5 mg/kg body weight per day of the novel immunosuppressant deoxyspergualin (DSP) the onset of diabetes was completely prevented. Moreover, DSP-treated animals showed reduced signs of pancreatic insulitis, had lower percentages of splenic lymphoid cells (SLC) expressing IL-2 receptors and Ly-6C antigens on their surfaces, and these cells released lower amounts of interferon-gamma (IFN) when stimulated in vitro. These data, providing evidence for the capacity of DSP to protect NOD/WEHI mice from experimental autoimmune diabetes and to modulate histo-immunological pathogenic pathways, indicate DSP as a drug of potential interest in the treatment of human insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 232-236 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Clinical and Experimental Immunology |
Volume | 91 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - 1993 |
Keywords
- autoimmune diabetes
- cyclophosphamide
- deoxyspergualin
- FK-506
- interferon-gamma
- NOD/ WEHI mouse
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology