Hormonal and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of BB rat diabetes.

The role of the following hormonal and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of diabetes in the BB rat was studied: hypophysectomy, castration, vagotomy, agents protective against beta cytotoxins, and stress. None of these factors altered the incidence of diabetes. They are thus unlikely to act as initiators or promoters of BB rat diabetes. These negative findings are complementary to previous studies reporting no influence of infection or diet on BB diabetes. To date, no hormonal or environmental factors have been identified that alter the incidence of diabetes in this animal model.