Advances in Enterovirus and Type 1 Diabetes

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is the continuation of our 2020 Special Issue “Enterovirus and Type 1 Diabetes”.

Fifty years ago, Taylor et al. reported the presence of neutralizing anti-coxsackievirus B4 antibodies in the serum of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Since this pioneering work in the field of enteroviruses and T1D, epidemiological studies have been carried out to analyze the association between enterovirus infections and the disease. The presence of markers of enteroviral infection (infectious particles, viral RNA and protein and antibodies) has been investigated in various biological samples of patients, including blood, saliva, stools, gut, pancreas necropsies, and, more recently, pancreas biopsies.

Moreover, the hypothesis of the role of enteroviruses, especially coxsackieviruses B (CV-B), in the pathogenesis of T1D has been a driving force to improve our knowledge about the cellular and molecular mechanisms of enterovirus infection and about the impact of enteroviruses on cells that are possibly involved in the development of the disease. Since the disease is a result of the disturbance of pancreas islet beta cells, the interaction between enteroviruses and these insulin-producing cells and other pancreas cells has been studied. Thus, the persistence of these viruses in cells has been observed. In addition, a possible disturbing effect of CV-B on the central tolerance, through the impact of viruses on the thymus, has been investigated. It has been reported that antibodies enhance the infection of immune cells with CV-B, which results in the activation of interferon alpha that can induce autoimmunity.

The identification of enteroviruses as agents possibly involved in the development of T1D has driven forward research to fight these viruses through various strategies based on antiviral molecules and vaccines. The enteroviral pathogenesis of T1D can be conceived in the form of the result of a complex interplay between enteroviruses and the host. This topic, “Enterovirus and Type 1 Diabetes”, deserves a Special Issue in Microorganisms.

Prof. Dr. Didier Hober
Guest Editor

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• enterovirus
• coxsackieviruses B
• Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)