Expression of chemokines in the pancreas of non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice

Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a T-cell mediated organspecific autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of insulin producing islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. This destruction is preceded by a massive infiltration of islets by leukocytes. Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse is the best known animal model in which this infiltration leads to the development of diabetes-like syndromes. Chemokines are a family of small molecular weight (8-11 kD) peptides which have been implicated in attracting leukocyte subpopulations in vitro and in vivo. In this study we examined the expression of chemokines in the pancreas of NOD mice. Preliminary observations obtained from RT-PCR, ELISA and immunohistochemical analysis of pancreas from NOD mice indicate expression of chemokines: RANTES, TCA-3, MCP-l/JE, MIP-la, and MIP-lb in pancreas. Further histological analysis shows migration of CD4, CD8, and B220 positive cells is preceded by monocytic infiltration into the islets. Data obtained to date indicate a role for the chemokines in the development of IDDM in NOD mice.