Increased level of interferon-α in blood of patients with insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus: Relationship with coxsackievirus B infection

Abstract

The activation of the interferon (IFN)-α system and its relationship with coxsackievirus B (CVB) infection has been analyzed in 56 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM; 25 children and 31 adults). Elevated levels of IFN-α were found in plasma of 70% of patients (39/56), and a positive detection of IFN-α mRNA in blood cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was observed in 75% of patients (42/56). Enterovirus (EV) RNA assayed by seminested RT-PCR was detected in the blood of 50% of IFN-α-positive patients but not in any IFN- α-negative patients. The results of genotype analysis of amplified EV RNA sequences (5 CVB2, 8 CVB3, and 8 CVB4) were concordant with the results of CVB-neutralization tests. The comparison between IFN-α, EV RNA, and serology suggested that the proportion of CVB infection associated with IFN-α positivity might be higher than is predicted from the investigation of EV RNA. Together, the results suggest that, in a majority of cases, a CVB infection is associated with clinical IDDM.