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Summary.The relationship between Fas-mediated apoptosis and Type 1 diabetes is currently under investigation. Fas/Fas ligand interaction could be involved both in the insulitis process and in ␤-cell death. Nevertheless, different mechanisms appear to be involved in human Type 1 diabetes and in NOD mice. In the present work, we review recent evidence of the role of the Fas/Fas ligand system in human and NOD mouse diabetes, describing possible hypotheses for its involvement in the pathogenesis of the disease, with possible implications for therapy and islet transplantation.

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Troglitazone (TGL), a thiazolidinedione compound that improves the response of peripheral target tissue to insulin, also has anti-inflammatory properties, a potential means of protection from Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes. In order to test the ability of TGL to affect cytokine production, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors were exposed to TGL in the presence or absence of a polyclonal activator (PHA) and the production of cytokines assayed. TGL enhanced PHA response, promoted secretion of the cytokines granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factor and leukaemia inhibitory factor and inhibited tumour necrosis factor-alpha secretion, consistent with causing Th-2 differentiation in T-cells. These results suggest that TGL is capable of modulating cytokine production and could therefore influence Th1/Th2 differentiation.