An update on the use of NOD mice to study autoimmune (Type 1) diabetes

Abstract

The widely used nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of autoimmune (Type 1) diabetes mellitus shares multiple characteristics with the human disease, and studies employing this model continue to yield clinically relevant and important information. Here, we review some of the recent key findings obtained from NOD mouse investigations that have both advanced our understanding of disease pathogenesis and suggested new therapeutic targets and approaches. Areas discussed include antigen discovery, identification of genes and pathways contributing to disease susceptibility, development of strategies to image islet inflammation and the testing of therapeutics. We also review recent technical advances that, combined with an improved understanding of the NOD mouse model’s limitations, should work to ensure its popularity, utility and relevance in the years ahead.

Keywords::

• antigens
• autoimmune
• diabetes
• humanized mice
• NOD mice
• therapies
• Type 1 diabetes

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Related research by the authors’ laboratory was supported by the NIH (grant numbers R01 DK064315 and R56 AI088256), the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, the American Diabetes Association, and the Irma T Hirschl/Monique Weill-Caulier Trust. Rodolfo José Chaparro was supported in part by the NIH Molecular Neuropathology Training Grant NS07098. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.