title: Encephalomyocarditis virus-induced diabetes mellitus in mice: model of viral pathogenesis.
abstract: Encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus induction of diabetes mellitus in mice has proven to be an excellent experimental model for the pathogenesis of viral disease. In SJL and DBA/2 mice, diabetes results exclusively from the infection and damage of beta cells by the virus. In addition, in BALB/cBy mice subclinical beta cell damage caused by the virus is followed by autoimmune beta cell destruction, which results in hyperglycemia. Studies of two closely related plaque variants (EMC-D and EMC-B) selected from the M strain of EMC virus revealed differences in the interferon response associated with viral infection. The EMC-D variant causes diabetes in infected SJL mice by direct beta cell destruction. Infection with EMC-B does not cause diabetes and interferes with the production of diabetes by EMC-D due to the greater ability of EMC-B than of EMC-D to induce interferon in mice. Circulating interferon has a greater effect on inhibition of viral replication because local interferon production is amplified in interferon-primed cells infected with EMC-B. These properties are determined by the interferon-inducing particle (Ifp+) phenotype of EMC-B and the Ifp- phenotype of EMC-D.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento 95817.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000209:etiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004686:Encephalomyocarditis virus; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains