Aims/hypothesis We have shown that chronic administration of the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) agonist Pam3CSK 4 prevents diabetes in NOD mice by inducing TLR2 tolerance of dendritic cells (DCs). We have also reported that a novel dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitor, DA-1229, could increase beta cell mass. Here we investigated whether a combination of DPP4 inhibition, with beneficial effects on beta cell mass, and TLR2 tolerisation, protecting beta cells from autoimmune destruction, could treat a model of established type 1 diabetes. Methods Diabetic NOD mice were treated with 100 μg Pam3CSK 4 , administered three times a week for 3 weeks, in combination with feeding with chow containing 0.3% DA-1229. Beta cell mass and proliferation were studied by immunohistochemistry. DC tolerance was assessed by studying diabetogenic CD4 + T cell priming after adoptive transfer and expression of costimulatory molecules on DCs by flow cytometry.
Results