Retrovirus gag protein p30 in the islets of non-obese diabetic mice: relevance for pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus.
We investigated the presence of retroviral protein in the pancreatic islets of non-obese diabetic mice to prove that the virus-like particle observed specifically in the pancreatic Beta cell of these mice was retrovirus. Western blot analysis probed with anti-retrovirus antibody demonstrated the existence of retroviral gag (group specific antigen) protein p30 in the islets of female non-obese diabetic mice. Islets of non-obese diabetic mice which were treated with cyclophosphamide, known to accelerate the development of insulitis and diabetes mellitus, have shown both a significantly increased number of retrovirus-like particles (type C) and enhanced expression of gag protein p30, compared to those of mice not treated with cyclophosphamide. These results confirmed the presence of type C retrovirus in non-obese diabetic mouse Beta cells and suggest a role for retrovirus in the development of insulitis and diabetes in these mice.
Nakagawa
C
C
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Hanafusa
T
T
Miyagawa
J
J
Yutsudo
M
M
Nakajima
H
H
Yamamoto
K
K
Tomita
K
K
Kono
N
N
Hakura
A
A
Tarui
S
S
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000032:analysis*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D015683:Gene Products, gag; D003520:Cyclophosphamide