TheeffectofPentoxifylline(PTX)ontype1diabeteswasinvestigatedbymeansofthestudiesontheexpressionsofcytokinemRNAinpancreasandtheFas-Fasl,onisletcellsofNODmice.NODmiceweretreatedwithFFXfrom4-6wk,andthenfrom8-12wk.Aftertreatment,itwasfoundthattheincidenceofdiabetesinNODmiceatagesof30wkwasreducedto25%ingroupofmicetreatedwithPTX,incomparisonto73.3%incaseofmiceinjectedwithPBS,andthedegreeofinsulitisinthePTXtreatedmicewaslowerthanthatofthePBSinjectedmice.RT-PCRanalysisrevealeddown-regulatoryeffectontheexpressionsofIFN-γandTNF-αmRNAinPTXtreatedmice,buttherewasnoanyeffectontheexpressionofIL-10.AstotheexpressionofFas,therewasmarkeddecreaseinthemeancytoplasmicintegralopticaldensity(IOD)inPTXtreatedmice,buttherewaslittledifferencebetweenFIXandPBSgroupsintheexpressionofFasL.TheseresultsindicatedthatFIXcouldpreventthedevelopmentofdiabetesinNODmice,whichmightberelatedtotheregulationofTh1/Th2imbalanceandthedecreasedexpressionofFasinisletcells.
