Transfer of diabetes in mice prevented by blockade of adhesion-promoting receptor on macrophages

INSULIN-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a disease with an autoimmune aetiology. The non-obese diabetic mouse is a good spontaneous animal model of the human disease, with IDDM developing in 50-80% of female mice by the age of 6 months^1,2. The disease can be transferred by splenic T cells from diabetic donors and is prevented by T-cell depletion^3,4. The mechanism(s) by which the β cell is specifically destroyed is not known, but T cells and macrophages have both been implicated, based on the presence of macrophages in the infiltrated islet and the ability of chronic silica treatment to prevent disease^5,6. The monoclonal antibody 5C6 is specific for the myelomonocytic adhesion-promoting type-3 complement receptor (CR3 or CD11b/CD18)⁷ and does not bind to T cells. Here we show that blockade of macrophage CR3 in vivo prevents intra-islet infiltration by both macrophages and T cells and inhibits development of IDDM. We conclude that both T cells and macrophages have an essential role in the onset of IDDM.