Association between rotavirus infection and pancreatic islet autoimmunity in children at risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
Pancreatic islet autoimmunity leading to type 1 diabetes could be triggered by viruses in genetically susceptible individuals. Rotavirus (RV), the most common cause of childhood gastroenteritis, contains peptide sequences highly similar to T-cell epitopes in the islet autoantigens GAD and tyrosine phosphatase IA-2 (IA-2), suggesting T-cells to RV could trigger islet autoimmunity by molecular mimicry. We therefore sought an association between RV infection and islet autoantibody markers in children at risk for diabetes who were followed from birth. There was a specific and highly significant association between RV seroconversion and increases in any of these antibodies: 86% of antibodies to IA-2, 62% to insulin, and 50% to GAD first appeared or increased with increases in RV IgG or IgA. RV infection may therefore trigger or exacerbate islet autoimmunity in genetically susceptible children.
Autoimmunity and Transplantation Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia. honeyman@wehi.edu.au
M C
MC
Honeyman
B S
BS
Coulson
N L
NL
Stone
S A
SA
Gellert
P N
PN
Goldwater
C E
CE
Steele
J J
JJ
Couper
B D
BD
Tait
P G
PG
Colman
L C
LC
Harrison
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001324:Autoantigens; D015551:Autoimmunity; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007330:Insulin Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000276:immunology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D016017:Odds Ratio; D054562:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 1; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000276:immunology; D054635:Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 8; D012307:Risk Factors; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D007330:Insulin Antibodies; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C516862:PTPRN protein, human; D054562:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 1; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; D054635:Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 8; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase