FOXP3 and diabetes mellitus: It has also been observed that diabetes-prone BioBreeding (BBdp) rats housed in specific germ-free (GF) conditions and weaned onto cereal diets displayed an upregulation of the interferon gamma (Ifng) and interleukin 15 (Il15) genes and a downregulation of the forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) gene [24].