Virus-induced diabetes mellitus. No evidence for immune mechanisms in the destruction of beta-cells by the D-variant of encephalomyocarditis virus.
A possible contribution of the immune system to the pathogenesis of virus-induced diabetes mellitus was investigated using the D-variant of encephalomyocarditis (EMC-D) virus. Studies on the F1 and backcross progeny of susceptible and resistant strains of mice gave no suggestion of a linkage between susceptibility and the major histocompatibility locus. Immuno-suppression by antilymphocyte serum did not prevent the induction of EMC-D-induced diabetes. Athymic nude mice infected with EMC-D virus showed a nearly identical diabetogenic response as compared with heterozygous littermates. Passive transfer of lymphocytes from mice made diabetic with EMC-D virus into normal mice failed to produce diabetes. From these and other studies, we conclude that the development of EMC-D-induced diabetes is due to the direct destruction of beta-cells by the virus and that the contribution of the immune response to the pathogenesis of this disease is, at the most, minor.
Yoon
J W
JW
McClintock
P R
PR
Bachurski
C J
CJ
Longstreth
J D
JD
Notkins
A L
AL
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology; D004686:Encephalomyocarditis virus; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006238:Haploidy; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D017710:Lymphocyte Transfusion; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013934:Thymectomy
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D007328:Insulin