IMMUNE COMPETENCE OF THE STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RAT

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Abstract
A study was designed to assess the cellular immune competence of Lewis rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. First-set Fischer skin allografts were rejected in 10.9 days by nondiabetic Lewis recipients and in 12.0 days by diabetic Lewis recipients. Second-set skin allografts in the same strain combination, utilizing the same recipients, were rejected in 8.1 days by nondiabetic recipients and in 13.0 days by diabetic recipients (P < 0.01), indicating an absence of second-set rejection in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Treatment with NPH insulin, 3 units daily, although only slightly corrective of hypergly-cemia, reduced second-set graft rejection to 8.0 days. These findings offer evidence of impaired cellular immune responsiveness in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Insulin was shown to correct deficient allograft immunity.