Vitamin D deficiency in early life accelerates Type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice

Abstract
1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the active form of vitamin D, prevents Type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Epidemiological data show a threefold increase in human Type 1 diabetes when vitamin D deficiency was present in the first months of life. To evaluate whether a similar dietary deficiency affects diabetes incidence in NOD mice, we generated NOD mice with vitamin D deficiency in early life.