Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the rat, RTl, codes for class I(RTl.A) and class II (RTl.B and RTl.D) products. The presence of at least 1 u haplotype derived from a BB diabetic rat (RTl.AuBuDu) is necessary for the development of diabetes (DM). We now report that the Class II gene products (coded by the RTl.B and RTl.D loci) of the BB strain and the DM strains derived from them do not differ from the Class II products found in the non-DM inbred Wistar Furth rat (RTl.AuBuDu). A cross between the homozygous u/u DM rat and rats of the inbred PVG.R8(RTl.AaBuDu) strain results in F2 DM animals typing u/u,u/a, and a/a at the RTl.A locus. Since all animals in these crosses are homozygous u/u at the RTl.B and D loci, the results suggest that (1) Class I MHC gene products are not necessary for DM and (2) RTl B and D genes(or genes closely linked to them) from non-diabetic inbred strains bearing the u haplotype can, in conjunction with other genetic or environemntal factors, confer susceptibility to DM. In such susceptible rats increased numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes capable of binding a mouse ascites protein provide a marker of conA unresponsiveness and are a more reliable predictor of DM susceptibility than enumerations of lymphocyte subsets by monoclonal antibody staining.
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Colle, E., Guttmann, R., Fuks, A. et al. 146 IMMUNOGENETIC STUDIES OF SPONTANEOUS DIABETES MELLITUS IN THE RAT. Pediatr Res 19, 627 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00166
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00166