Factors influencing the effects of murine cytomegalovirus on the pancreas.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

As human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections are implicated in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), the effects of murine (M)CMV infection of inbred mice on the pancreas are of interest.

RESULTS:

Inflammation and periacinar oedema peaked on day 3 and were replaced by a focal inflammation, but infected cells were rare. The islets were spared in C57BL mice. Insulitis normally seen in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice was accelerated, but infected NOD mice did not become glycosuric. Isotypes of total and autoreactive antibodies suggested a shift to a Th 1 response (IgG2a) in all MCMV-infected mice. MCMV-induced pancreatitis was not affected by MHC genes but was similar or less severe in BALB/c mice. As these lack the Cmv1 gene, which provides a protective natural killer (NK) cell response in C57BL congenic mice, the C57BL background may carry a pancreatitis susceptibility gene able to counter NK-mediated restriction of viral replication. Consistently, congenic mice expressing Cmvl on a BALB/c background did not display pancreatitis, unless depleted of NK cells. In vivo treatment with soluble cytokine receptors suggested that interleukin 1 (IL-1) and/or tumour necrosis factor alpha contribute to acinar necrosis in C57BL mice.

• Authors: P Price, A G Baxter, R N Allcock, J M Papadimitriou
• Journal: European journal of clinical investigation (Eur J Clin Invest) Vol. 28 Issue 7 Pg. 546-53 (Jul 1998) ISSN: 0014-2972 [Print] England
• PMID: 9726035 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Autoantibodies
• Interleukin-1
• Receptors, Interleukin-1
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Topics

• Animals
• Autoantibodies (blood)
• Cytomegalovirus (pathogenicity, physiology)
• Cytomegalovirus Infections (pathology)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 (virology)
• Female
• Humans
• Hypergammaglobulinemia (pathology, virology)
• Interleukin-1 (physiology)
• Islets of Langerhans (pathology, virology)
• Killer Cells, Natural (immunology)
• Liver (pathology, virology)
• Lymphocyte Depletion
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mice, Inbred NOD
• Necrosis
• Pancreas (pathology, virology)
• Pancreatitis (pathology, virology)
• Receptors, Interleukin-1 (administration & dosage, physiology)
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor (administration & dosage, physiology)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (physiology)
• Virus Replication