NF-κB prevents β cell death and autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice

Whereas NF-kappaB has potent antiapoptotic function in most cell types, it was reported that in pancreatic beta cells it serves a proapoptotic function and may contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune type 1 diabetes. To investigate the role of beta cell NF-kappaB in autoimmune diabetes, we produced transgenic mice expressing a nondegradable form of IkappaBalpha in pancreatic beta cells (RIP-mIkappaBalpha mice). beta cells of these mice were more susceptible to killing by TNF-alpha plus IFN-gamma but more resistant to IL-1beta plus IFN-gamma than normal beta cells. Similar results were obtained with beta cells lacking IkappaB kinase beta, a protein kinase required for NF-kappaB activation. Inhibition of beta cell NF-kappaB accelerated the development of autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice but had no effect on glucose tolerance or serum insulin in C57BL/6 mice, precluding a nonphysiological effect of transgene expression. Development of diabetes after transfer of diabetogenic CD4(+) T cells was accelerated in RIP-mIkappaBalpha/nonobese diabetic mice and was abrogated by anti-TNF therapy. These results suggest that under conditions that resemble autoimmune type 1 diabetes, the dominant effect of NF-kappaB is prevention of TNF-induced apoptosis. This differs from the proapoptotic function of NF-kappaB in IL-1beta-stimulated beta cells.