Retrovirus-like particles in pancreatic B-cells of NOD (non-obese diabetic) mice

Abstract

Type C retrovirus-like particles were found in some pancreatic B-cells in the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice which manifest overt diabetes associated with severe insulitis. In six animals examined, ranging in age from 2 days to 19 weeks, the virus-like particles were localized in the cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum, where the outer surface partly lacked ribosomes. The virus-like particles were contained in 1-10 % of all the B-cells in the NOD mice, and they occurred in every mouse of the NOD strain. Each particle, membrane-limited and cylindrical (or spherical) in shape, had a hollow and cylindrical core 50-85 nm in outer diameter and 15-50 nm in inner diameter. The vertical infection of this virus-like particles from mother to child could be implicated with the pathogenesis of insulitis and insulitis-associated diabetes in these diabetic mice.