IMPAIRED ANTIBODY-RESPONSES IN ALLOXAN DIABETIC MICE

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 29  (1) , 140-146
Abstract
Alloxan diabetic BALB/c mice with high hyperglycemia levels (.gtoreq. 600 mg/100 ml) when immunized with T [thymus-derived] cell-dependent (SRBC) [sheep red blood cells] or T cell-independent (TNP-LPS [trinitrophenylated lipopolysaccharide]) antigens show a significant decrease in the number of specific PFC [plaque-forming cells] when compared with normo-glycemic controls. Moderate diabetes (> 350 mg/100 ml) does not affect the immune response and in some experiments a slight increase of anti-SRBC plaques was seen. In transfer experiments primed spleen cells of diabetic or normal donors gave much better responses when transferred to normal rather than diabetic X-irradiated recipients. In Mishell-Dutton (MD) cultures the anti-SRBC response of CBA spleen cells was moderately reduced only when the blood glucose level of cell donors exceeded 500 mg/100 ml. Glucose added to MD cultures of normal spleen cells diminished significantly the number of SFC when in concentrations exceeding 600 mg/100 ml. In diabetic animals B[bone marrow-derived]-lymphocyte function may be affected, but it is unclear whether this is true for T[thymus-derived]-helper cells. Disabled lymphocytes, whatever population they represent, may partially recover when transferred into normo-insulinic milieu. Under conditions tested neither hyperglycemia nor excess of corticosteroid accounted significantly for the impaired humoral responses in diabetic animals. In hypoinsulinemia, the lack of saturation of insulin receptors on the lymphocyte, and possibly macrophage membranes, probably renders these cells functionally inactive presumably due to accumulation of cyclic AMP in the cell membrane.