COXSACKIE-VIRUS B INFECTION IN THE MOUSE - EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIABETES GENE, DB

Coxsackievirus B4 (CB4) replicated to equally high titers in the pancreas and other tissues of the C57BL/Ks (+/+) mouse and its genetic variants that were either heterozygous (db/+) or homozygous (db/db) for the autosomal recessive gene for diabetes, db. In contrast, the insulin-producing beta cells of both diabetic variants, but not the +/+ mice, completely degranulated during acute infection and resulted in hypoglycemia and hyperinsulemia. All db/db mice died within 13 days, with signs of severe endocrine pancreas involvement. Surviving +/+ mice maintained relatively normal glucose homeostasis. Surviving db/+ variants exhibited prolonged periods of diabetes-like disease with hypoinsulemia and abnormal glucose tolerance, even though the db gene is not phenotypically expressed in the heterozygous state. © 1979 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.