Islet cell surface antibodies in spontaneously diabetic BB rats
Dyrberg, T.; Lernmark, A.; Oie, H.K.; Gazdar, A.F.
Acta Biologica et Medica Germanica 41(12): 1105-1109
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5318 PMID: 6765151 Document Number: 190669
Antibodies to normal Wistar rat islet cells are often found in newly diagnosed diabetic BB rats. It was tested if antibodies in BB rats bind to cells from a cloned insulin-producing, rat-insulinoma cell line, RIN 5F, using a protein A-radioligand assay for islet cell surface antibodies. A close correlation was found between the binding of antibodies to islet cells and to RIN 5F cells. Islet cell surface antibodies reactive with RIN 5 F cells were determined in two litters of BB rats, born by diabetic, islet cell surface antibody positive parents. A high incidence (85%) of diabetes was found among 13 offsprings, the mean age of onset being 88 days. At 44 days of age before diabetes was diagnosed, 95% of 20 offsprings were islet cell surface antibody positive. There was no difference in antibody-levels between diabetic and non-diabetic rats. It is concluded that BB rats have circulating antibodies reactive with surface determinants on the RIN-5F insulin-producing cell line. There was a high prevalence of islet cell surface antibodies among young, yet unaffected BB rats.