title: Immunoreactive alpha-interferon in insulin-secreting beta cells in type 1 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Of 37 pancreases removed at necropsy from patients with type 1 diabetes 34 had residual beta cells. In 33 of the 34 the beta cells were positive for immunoreactive alpha-interferon, and this finding in islets was related to hyperexpression of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. Of islets showing class I hyperexpression 93% contained alpha-interferon compared with 0.4% of those showing no hyperexpression. Among 80 control pancreases significant numbers of beta cells containing alpha-interferon were present only in 4 cases of acute infantile viral pancreatitis, known to be caused by Coxsackie-B viral infection in 3 cases. Chronic viral infection of beta cells may underlie the pathogenesis of some cases of type 1 diabetes.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human; D005260:Female; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D007328:Insulin; D007370:Interferon Type I