J Korean Med Sci.  1999 Dec;14(6):648-652. 10.3346/jkms.1999.14.6.648.

Effects of BCG, lymphotoxin and bee venom on insulitis and development of IDDM in non-obese diabetic mice

• Kim JY
• Cho SH
• Kim YW
• Jang EC
• Park SY
• Kim EJ
• Lee SK

• KMID: 646041
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.1999.14.6.648

Abstract

To investigate whether BCG, lymphtoxin (LT) or bee venom (BV) can prevent insulitis and development of diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, we measured the degree of insulitis and incidence of diabetes in 24 ICR and 96 female NOD mice. NOD mice were randomly assigned to control, BCG-, LT-, and BV-treated groups. The BCG was given once at 6 weeks of age, and LT was given in 3 weekly doses from the age of 4 to 10 weeks. The BV was injected in 2 weekly doses from the age of 4 to 10 weeks. Diabetes started in control group at 18 weeks of age, in BCG group at 24 weeks of age, and in LT- or BV-treated group at 23 weeks of age. Cumulative incidences of diabetes at 25 weeks of age in control, BCG-, LT-, and BV-treated NOD mice are 58, 17, 25, and 21%, respectively. Incidence and severity of insulitis were reduced by BCG, LT and BV treatment. In conclusion, these results suggest that BCG, LT or BV treatment in NOD mice at early age inhibit insulitis, onset and cumulative incidence of diabetes.

Keyword

Diabetes mellitus; Insulin-dependent; Autoimmunity; Cytokiness

MeSH Terms

Adjuvants, Immunologic/pharmacology*
Age Factors
Animal
Bee Venoms/pharmacology*
Cholesterol/blood
Diabetes Mellitus/prevention & control*
Diabetes Mellitus/immunology
Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent/prevention & control*
Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent/immunology
Disease Models, Animal
Female
Islets of Langerhans/pathology*
Islets of Langerhans/drug effects
Lymphotoxin/pharmacology*
Mice
Mice, Inbred NOD
Mycobacterium bovis/immunology*
Triglycerides/blood