Transfusions enriched for W3/25+ helper/inducer T lymphocytes prevent spontaneous diabetes in the BB/W rat

• Published in: Diabetologia 1987-01, Vol.30 (1), p.22-26
• Main Authors: Mordes, J P, Gallina, D L, Handler, E S, Greiner, D L, Nakamura, N, Pelletier, A, Rossini, A A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Diabetes Mellitus - immunology; Diabetes Mellitus - physiopathology; Diabetes Mellitus - prevention & control; Female; Male; Rats; Rats, Inbred BB; Spleen - cytology; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - physiology; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - physiology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - physiology
• ISSN: 0012-186X; 1432-0428
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01788902

Transfusions of spleen cells are known to prevent spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in susceptible BB/W rats, while T cell-depleted transfusions are ineffective. To characterize further the protective cell(s), we transfused young diabetes prone rats with splenocytes from diabetes resistant BB/W rats that were treated in vitro to enrich them in either OX8+ (suppressor/cytotoxic) T cells or W3/25+ (helper/inducer) T cells. Diabetes subsequently occurred in 19 of 29 (66%) recipients of OX8-enriched, W3/25-depleted cells and 20 of 37 (54%) controls, but in only 7 of 30 (23%) recipients of W3/25-enriched, OX8-depleted cells (p less than 0.005). Transfusion of spleen cells from diabetes resistant donor rats pretreated in vivo to deplete OX8+ cells also prevented diabetes in susceptible BB/W recipients. We conclude that transfusions of W3/25+ helper/inducer splenic T lymphocytes obtained from diabetes resistant animals prevent spontaneous diabetes in the BB/W rat.