Prevention of Autoimmune Diabetes in the BB Rat by Intrathymic Islet Transplantation at Birth

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Abstract
Spontaneous diabetes in the BioBreeding (BB) rat, like human type I diabetes, results from the destruction of pancreatic islets by autoreactive T lymphocytes recognizing β cell-specific antigens. T cell tolerance is in part mediated by interactions of maturing thymocytes with antigens expressed in the thymic microenvironment; islets were therefore implanted into the thymus of neonatal diabetes-prone BB rats to determine whether exposure of T cell precursors to β cell antigens could influence the development of diabetes. This treatment completely prevented diabetes and insulitis in the native pancreas. The effect may be the result of specific modulation of diabetogenic T cells maturing in an islet-bearing thymus.