Dietary plant materials and development of diabetes in the BB rat

The present study was designed to examine further the impact of individual plant protein sources found in a diabetogenic, cereal-based, rodent laboratory diet, NIH-07 [open formula, nonpurified rat and mouse diet (positive control)], on the development of diabetes. Diabetes-prone BB rats that were pan-T(OX19+)-lymphopenic were fed a low diabetogenic diet during gestation and lactation. Progeny of these rats were fed a normal or autoclaved NIH-07 diet, or one of eight other diets based on the AIN-76A formulation, with modified protein sources as follows: hydrolyzed casein (HC), soybean meal, HC+ trypsin inhibitor (TI) in water (2 mg/mL, wheat germ, alfalfa seeds, Brewer's yeast, red lentils and a plant protein mixture. Feeding soybean meal increased the incidence of diabetes compared with the negative control, HC diet (47% vs. 12% incidence, P = 0.02). Wheat germ, alfalfa seeds and plant protein mixture resulted in an intermediate incidence of diabetes of 33%; the incidence was lower for Brewer's yeast and lentils (20% and 13%). Autoclaving (121 degrees C, 10 min) the NIH-07 diet or the presence of TI in drinking water had a minimal effect on diabetes frequency, suggesting heat-labile plant toxicants were not directly involved. Thus, certain dietary plant protein sources or associated agents may influence the development of spontaneous diabetes in the BB rat.