Is the NOD mouse a good model for type 1 diabetes? – Published online 08/11/2025

F. Susan Wong, James A. Pearson & Li Wen

The NOD mouse develops spontaneous autoimmune diabetes and has been an important model for the study of type 1 diabetes. In this issue, Wong et al (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-025-06579-0) discuss how studies in the NOD mouse have provided major insights into the immunopathogenesis of human type 1 diabetes, and emphasise how this model can be a useful tool for the testing of potential therapeutic agents. The authors highlight how discoveries related to genetics, pancreatic islet beta cell stress, innate and adaptive immunity and autoantigens in NOD mice have enhanced our knowledge of the pathogenesis of human type 1 diabetes. The authors go on to discuss how there have been both ‘successes’ and ‘failures’ when using NOD mice for the testing of immunotherapies. The authors conclude that identifying how this mouse model may be used most effectively will improve the translatability of knowledge to human type 1 diabetes. The figures from this review are available as a downloadable slideset.

All News