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.

中文翻译：

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抗病毒药物在 1 型糖尿病模型中的有效性和人体试验。

最初在田鼠中发现的小核糖核酸病毒（Ljungan 病毒 [LV]）在其野生啮齿动物宿主中与 1 型糖尿病 (T1D) 相关，但在该疾病的实验室大鼠模型中也与 T1D 相关，易患糖尿病 (DP)生物育种 (BB) 大鼠。已经报道了使用针对小核糖核酸病毒的实验性抗病毒化合物在该大鼠模型中成功治疗糖尿病。在本研究中，我们使用可用于人类使用的抗病毒化合物（普莱康那利、依法韦仑和利巴韦林）在 DP-BB 大鼠中显示出显着的临床反应。在来自人类和 T1D 大鼠模型的朗格汉斯胰岛中检测到 LV 小核糖核酸病毒抗原的存在，具有明显的形态相似性。基于这些数据，有兴趣在新诊断的 T1D 患者中测试抗病毒治疗。β-细胞破坏。