Passive transfer of streptozotocin induced diabetes mellitus with spleen cells. Studies of synogeneic and allogeneic transfer to normal and athymic nude mice.

This study shows passive transfer of streptozotocin induced diabetes mellitus in mice. Transplants of spleen cells from BALB/c mice, streptozotocin treated for 5 days, induced diabetes in normal BALB/c recipients. Treatment of transplants with anti-theta and complement resulted in a significant decrease in the degree of diabetes. Athymic nude mouse recipients of BALB/c background also developed diabetes after transpant of spleen cells from both syngenic and allogenic (C-7/Bl/6) donors. It is concluded that passive transfer of chemically induced diabetes in mice is practicable, in both syngeneic and allogeneic combinations, and that thymus derived lymphocytes are significant in this process.