A SEARCH FOR CANDIDATE VIRUSES IN TYPE-1 DIABETIC PANCREAS USING THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

In order to investigate a possible viral aetiology for Type 1 diabetes the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used. Pancreatic ti ssue from Type 1 diabetic subjects was examined for the presence of a panel of common viruses. Primers specific for mumps, measles, cytomega lovirus, and Epstein Barr virus, as well as primers located in a highl y conserved region of the enterovirus genome which are capable of dete cting all of the following family members: Coxsackie B, echovirus, pol io, mengovirus, and encephalomyocarditis virus were used to screen 18 Type 1 diabetic subjects of whom 3 had proven insulitis, 12 Type 2 dia betic subjects and 18 non-diabetic controls. Epstein Barr virus was de tected in two Type 1 (13 %), two Type 2 (22 %), and three of the norma l non-diabetic pancreases (20 %), and the DNA sequences confirmed by d irect sequencing. Cytomegalovirus was detected in one of the normal pa ncreases only and no evidence of any of the other viruses was found. I t is concluded that the Type 1 diabetic pancreatic samples studied did not show persistence of infection with any of the above viruses. Non- persistent acute infection of the pancreas by the above viruses cannot be excluded in the aetiology of Type 1 diabetes from this study.