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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

High-Efficiency Generation of Antigen-Specific Primary Mouse Cytotoxic T Cells for Functional Testing in an Autoimmune Diabetes Model
Published on: August 16, 2019
Effectiveness of Antivirals in a Type 1 Diabetes Model and the Move Toward Human Trials
Bo Niklasson1, William Klitz2, Lisa Juntti-Berggren3
1Jordbro Primary Health Care Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract:
A Picornavirus (Ljungan virus [LV]) originally found in bank voles has been associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in its wild rodent reservoir, but also associated with T1D in a laboratory rat model for the disease, the diabetes prone (DP) Bio Breeding (BB) rat. Successful treatment of diabetes in this rat model, using experimental antiviral compounds directed against picornavirus, has been reported. In the present study we show significant clinical response in DP-BB rats using antiviral compounds available for human use (Pleconaril, Efavirenz, and Ribavirin). Presence of LV picornavirus antigen has been detected in islets of Langerhans from both human and the T1D rat model with clear morphological similarity. Based on these data it would be of interest to test antiviral treatment in patients with newly diagnosed T1D. Successful outcome will offer both proof of concept regarding the role of virus involvement in the disease and possibly a first generation treatment interrupting a persistent infection and stopping β-cell destruction.
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