Experimental assessment of the diabetogenic potential of bovine enterovirus in Wistar rats

Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences ,2015,4,2,87-94.
Published:August 2015
Type:Research Article
Authors:
Author(s) affiliations:

Thaís Dalzochio1*, Cristina Deuner Muller1, Rodrigo Staggemeier1, Tabata Spellmeier Lange2, Eloisa Bianchi1, Günther Gehlen1, Gustavo Muller Lara2, Fernando Rosado Spilki1, Luciane Rosa Feksa1, Daiane Bolzan Berlese1

1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Qualidade Ambiental, Universidade Feevale, RS 239, 2755, CEP 93352-000, Novo Hamburgo, RS, BRAZIL.

2Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Feevale, RS 239, 2755, CEP 93352-000, Novo Hamburgo, RS, BRAZIL. 

Abstract:

The involvement of enteroviruses in the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D) has been long studied, since they may affect the insulin producing β cells directly or may act in the pathology through the development of autoimmunity. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of exposure of an animal model (Wistar rats) to bovine enterovirus (BEV) through biochemical, histological, molecular and immunological analyses. Male Wistar rats were divided in five groups: control, enterovirus, immunized with oil-adjuvanted BEV-vaccine, immunized and challenged with BEV (immunized+enterovirus) and streptozotocin (STZ) treated. Stools specimens were collected during the experimental period and after, the animals were killed for blood and tissue collection. An increase of blood glucose levels was observed in the immunized, immunized+enterovirus and STZ groups, while morphological alterations in islets and increased anti glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies were only observed in the STZ animals. The presence of viral RNA in stools was ascertained in the groups which ingested the contaminated water. Thus, BEV did not induce clinical diabetes in orally infected rats, but immunization with inactivated BEV lead to blood glucose metabolism impairment.