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T helper cell subsets in insulin-dependent diabetes
J D Katz1, C Benoist, D Mathis
1Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, INSERM-CNRS-Université Louis Pasteur, Illkirch, CU de Strasbourg, France.
It has been proposed that the development of insulin-dependent diabetes is controlled by the T helper 1 (TH1) versus TH2 phenotype of autoreactive TH cells: TH1 cells would promote diabetes, whereas TH2 cells would actually protect from disease. This proposition was tested by establishing cultures of TH1 and TH2 cells that express an identical diabetogenic T cell receptor and comparing their ability to initiate disease in neonatal nonobese diabetic mice. TH1-like cells actively promoted diabetes; TH2-like cells invaded the islets but did not provoke disease--neither did they provide substantial protection.
It has been proposed that the development of insulin-dependent diabetes is controlled by the T helper 1 (TH1) versus TH2 phenotype of autoreactive TH cells: TH1 cells would promote diabetes, whereas TH2 cells would actually protect from disease. This proposition was tested by establishing cultures of TH1 and TH2 cells that express an identical diabetogenic T cell receptor and comparing their ability to initiate disease in neonatal nonobese diabetic mice. TH1-like cells actively promoted diabetes; TH2-like cells invaded the islets but did not provoke disease--neither did they provide substantial protection.