VITAMIN-E DELAYS DIABETES ONSET IN THE NONOBESE DIABETIC MOUSE

Vitamin E was administered to non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice to determi ne if the selective destruction of pancreatic beta cells leading to Ty pe 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus could be halted by virtue o f this vitamin's free oxygen radical scavenger activity. Two groups of NOD mice were treated from 3 weeks of age until 30 weeks of age with either diet supplemented with vitamin E or control diet. Diabetes inci dence was recorded as well as the degree of lymphocytic infiltration o f the pancreas (insulitis) in animals which did not develop diabetes. Vitamin E did not reduce the incidence of diabetes by 30 weeks of age, however it did significantly delay the onset of the disease (p<0.01 - parallelism test). There were no differences in the degree of insulit is with respect to control mice. We conclude that antioxidant therapy with Vitamin E delays diabetes onset in NOD mice without having an app arent effect on the autoimmune process.