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Updated: Oct 9, 2026
Accelerated Type 1 Diabetes Induction in Mice by Adoptive Transfer of Diabetogenic CD4+ T Cells
Published on: May 6, 2013
CTLA-4-/- mice display T cell-apoptosis resistance resembling that ascribed to autoimmune-prone non-obese diabetic
M L Bergman1, C M Cilio, C Penha-Gonçalves
1Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Umeå, S-901 87 Umeå Sweden.
Abstract:
The genes conferring susceptibility to autoimmune (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (IDDM) are, in most cases, not defined. Among the loci so far identified as associated with murine IDDM (Idd1-19), only the nature of Idd1 has been assessed. Here we show that thymocytes and peripheral lymphocytes of the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse are relatively resistant to apoptosis induced by gamma-irradiation. By linkage analysis of F2 progeny mice, we map this trait to a locus on chromosome 1 containing the Idd5 diabetes susceptibility region. By the use of congenic mice, we confirm the linkage data and map this locus to a 6 cM region on proximal chromosome 1. Ctla4, being localized in this chromosomal region and mediating crucial functions in T cell biology, is a logical candidate gene in the Idd5 susceptibility region. In line with this, we demonstrate that T cells from Ctla4(-/-)deficient mice show a similar resistance to gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis as observed in the NOD mice. This reinforces the notion that CTLA-4 contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes.
