Excessive Production of Nitric Oxide by Macrophages From DP-BB Rats Is Secondary to the T-Lymphopenic State of These Animals

摘要

Activated macrophages are the first mononuclear cells to migrate tot he pancreas of DP-BB rats at the initia- tion of insulitis. These cells produce an excess of NO, which has been implicated as a mediator of both β-cell damage and inhibition of T-cell proliferation in this rat strain. Genetic studies have shown that the impaired proliferative response of T-cells segregates with one of the diabetes-susceptibility genes of the DP-BB rat, lyp, which is responsible for a peripheral T-lymphope- nia.