EFFECT OF ALLOXAN DIABETES, GLUCOSE FEEDING AND INSULIN ON TRUE ANAPHYLAXIS AND GRANULOMA FORMATION

Abstract

ABSTRACT True anaphylaxis was produced in ovomucoid sensitized mice after a 20 day incubation period. The fatal anaphylaxis from a shock dose of egg albumin (I. P.) in normal, untreated and insulin treated diabetic, untreated and insulin treated glucose fed animals was compared. Fatal anaphylaxis did not occur in either diabetic or glucose fed mice unless insulin had been administered 1 hour before the shock dose. The inflammatory response to cotton pellet implantation was measured in normal, untreated and insulin treated diabetic, and glucose fed rats. Granulation tissue formation was significantly depressed by diabetes as well as glucose feeding, and was restored to control values in insulin treated diabetic animals. Thymic involution which was apparent in all diabetic rats did not occur in glucose fed rats. The anti-anaphylactic, anti-inflammatory and thymolytic effects of diabetes strongly suggests adrenal hyperactivity. However, the absence of thymolysis in glucose fed rats implies that glycaemia through some metabolic effect rather than adrenal hyperactivity alters the sensitivity to inflammatory responses.