PRODUCTION OF ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODY IN AKR J MICE WITH STREPTOZOCIN-INDUCED INSULITIS AND DIABETES/

We herein report that anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACA) were detected in AKR/J mice treated with multiple low doses of streptozocin (STZ)-in duced insulitis and diabetes. Daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 40 mg/kg body wt. of STZ for five consecutive days in the AKR/J mic e resulted in hyperglycemia and mononuclear cell infiltrations of isle ts (insulitis). ACA appeared on day 14, when hyperglycemia began to oc cur, at a rate of 13.3% (4/30). The rate increased to 83.3% (25/30) on day 21, when diabetes developed, and then fell to 10% (3/30) on day 2 8. Neither the diabetic AKR/J mice treated with a single high dose of STZ (200 mg/kg body wt.) nor the non-diabetic insulitis free Balb/c mi ce and B10.S(9R) mice treated with multiple low doses of STZ (40 mg/kg body wt.) produced ACA. The IgG subclass of the ACA belonged mainly t o IgG2a. These findings suggest that ACA are produced in association w ith the development of insulitis, but not induced by either hyperglyce mia or STZ.