Persistent MHV (mouse hepatitis virus) infection reduces the incidence of diabetes mellitus in non-obese diabetic mice.
The frequency of diabetes mellitus was compared in non-obese diabetic mice before and after inadvertent exposure of the colony to mouse hepatitis virus infection. Prior to exposure, diabetes prevalence and cumulative diabetes incidence in 7-month-old mice was 65% and 25% in females and males, respectively. Diabetes incidence/quarter revealed a seasonal pattern with peaks in winter. After mouse hepatitis exposure, the diabetes incidence in the colony decreased and testing for mouse hepatitis antibody in blood samples revealed a persistent infection. In the offspring of mice delivered by caesarean section, the diabetic incidence increased sharply from a nadir of 36% to 95% and from 9% to 65% in females and males, respectively. In individual mice, diabetes resistance was strongly correlated to high titres of mouse hepatitis virus antibody. The results of this inadvertent viral infection demonstrate that a diabetes-susceptible genotype is strongly modulated by environmental factors. Investigators studying this diabetes model should strive for specific pathogen-free colony status and a high incidence of diabetes before attempting to investigate therapeutic modalities.
Wilberz
S
S
Diabetes Forschungsinstitut, Universität Düsseldorf, FRG.
Partke
H J
HJ
Dagnaes-Hansen
F
F
Herberg
L
L
D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007044:Hysterectomy; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D006517:Murine hepatitis virus; D015995:Prevalence