Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice display enhanced immune responses and prolonged survival of lymphoid cells

Abstract

We report that lymphoid cells originating from the non-obese diabetic (NOD) aftoimmune prone mouse strain are resistant to several signals known to induce programmed cell death. In vitro culturlng of lymphoid cells of splenic or lymph node origin showed that B cells and T cells of both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ phenotypes from NOD mice display extended survival in vitro. By cytofluorimetrlc analysis, Immature CD4⁺CD8⁺ NOD thymocytes were shown to partially resist in vivo treatment with corticosterolds. Finally, Immunization with protein antigens induced enhanced and prolonged Immune responses in NOD mice compared with normal C57BL/6, BALB/c, and C3H/TH control mice. We conclude that the NOD mouse displays a defect in the mechanl8m(8) mediating programmed cell death in T and B lymphocytes. These findings provide a novel explanation for the B cell aberrations observed in the NOD mouse and may have Implications for the understanding of the aftoimmune pathogenesls in this mouse strain.