Altered lymphocyte activation and macrophage apoptosis in diabetic mice

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore whether lymphocyte activation and mononuclear cell apoptosis is dis-regulated by a diabetic situation which results in altered responses to bacterial infection. Based on other investigator's results NO production by macrophages is increased in diabetic mice therefore, the effects of NO on these processes are also examined. Diabetic (db-/db-) and background matched control (db+/db-) mice were injected with or without LPS. An iNOS inhibitor (AMT) was used in selected experiments. Activation of spleen lymphocytes and apoptosis of the mononuclear cells was examined using flow cytometry and ELISA. The results suggest that diabetes could affect lymphocyte activation and macrophage apoptosis. Nitric oxide may play a role in CD69 expression by diabetic T lymphocytes and have an opposite effect on B lymphocytes. These findings support the hypothesis that the kinetics and magnitude of the host response in diabetic and normal mice are different, which leads to an altered inflammatory course during the microbial infection.