Evidence that the T cell repertoire of normal rats contains cells with the potential to cause diabetes. Characterization of the CD4+ T cell subset that inhibits this autoimmune potential.

Abstract excerpt

Diabetes was induced in a normal nonautoimmune rat strain by rendering the animals relatively T cell deficient using a protocol of adult thymectomy and sublethal gamma irradiation. All male rats and 70% of females developed an acute syndrome with severe loss of weight and hyperglycemia. Diabetes in these lymphopoenic rats was associated with extensive insulitis involving CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and macrophages. The...

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