Background  

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have been implicated in immune regulation. We determined the transcriptional expression of the three isoforms, PPARα, PPARγ1, and PPARγ2 in the peritoneal macrophages, CD4- and CD8-positive lymphocytes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice at 5 and 10 weeks of age as well as at diabetic stage.

Results  

Compared to the non-obese diabetic resistant (NOR) mice, the peritoneal macrophages of NOD mice expressed increased levels of PPARα but reduced levels of PPARγ2, while PPARγ1 expression was unchanged in all age groups. CD4-positive lymphocytes expressed low levels of PPARα in diabetic NOD mice and greatly reduced expression of PPARγ2 in all age groups. Unlike peritoneal macrophages and CD4-positive cells, the CD8-positive cells expressed low levels of PPARγ1 in diabetic NOD mice but no difference in PPARα and PPARγ2 expression was observed compared to NOR mice.

Conclusion  

The current findings may suggest an important regulatory role of PPARs in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes.