Islet lymphocyte subsets in male and female NOD mice are qualitatively similar but quantitatively distinct.

ABSTRACT: Islet-infiltrating lymphocytes of individual male and female non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice were examined with the purpose of determining the differences that lead to a predominance of diabetes in female versus males NOD mice. When normalized for the amount of islet lymphocytes recovered, the infiltrating lymphocytes of female NOD mice were indistinguishable from those of male NOD mice. The only observed difference was that islet inflammation progressed at an increased rate in female compared to male NOD mice. There was no difference in the composition of islet infiltrates in male and female NOD mice. Unexpectedly, the ratio of CD4(+):CD8(+) T cells was tightly controlled in the islets throughout diabetogenesis. The frequency of IL-4(+) CD4(+) T cells started high but quickly fell to 3% of

SUBMITTER: Young EF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2874559 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature