Increased sensitivity of prediabetic nonobese diabetic mouse to the behavioral effects of IL-1

The nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse is a model of spontaneous insulin-depende nt diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or type I diabetes. In humans, and in animal mo dels of IDDM, the progression of the disease is modulated by various enviro nmental factors, particularly infectious agents. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays a pivotal role in the development of IDDM, and modulation of its synthesis may be a mechanism by which environmental modulation of disease progressio n occurs. Since various alterations at the level of the gene, number, and s ensitivity of IL-1 receptors have been described in different animal models of autoimmune disease, we investigated, in the prediabetic NOD mouse, the presence of IL-1 receptors and their functional behavioral characteristics. Here we present evidence that prediabetic NOD mice exhibit a normal distri bution and density of functional brain IL-1 receptors, but are more sensiti ve to the behavioral effects of IL-1 than the control ICR strain. (C) 1999 Academic Press.