Effect of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection on Selected Immunological Parameters in Children with Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders with different etiologies, pathogeneses and clinical pictures, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia due to abnormal insulin secretion or action. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is the most common type of diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents, accounting for about 90% of diabetes in the population under the age of 18. The etiopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes is multifactorial. The disease occurs as a result of the interaction of three factors: genetic predisposition, environmental factors and the immune response. Research in recent years has focused on the involvement of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of type I diabetes. The goals of treating type 1 diabetes include maintaining blood-glucose, fructosamine and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels; therefore, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of EBV infection on the activation of selected immune cells, fructosamine levels and HbA1c levels in children with type I diabetes. Based on our study, we found a lower percentage of CD8+ T lymphocytes with expression of the CD69 molecule in patients with anti-VCA antibodies in the IgG class, and a lower percentage of CD8+ T lymphocytes with expression of the CD25+ molecule in patients with anti-EBNA-1 antibodies in the IgG class, which may indicate limited control of the immune system during EBV infection in patients. There was a lower percentage of CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes secreting IL-4 in the study group, indicating that a deficiency in IL-4 production may be related to the development of type 1 diabetes. There was an increase in the percentage of CD4+CD3+IL-10 lymphocytes in the study group with anti-VCA antibodies present in the IgG class and anti-EBNA-1 antibodies in the IgG class compared to the patients without antibodies. In addition, there was a significant increase in fructosamine levels and higher glycated hemoglobin levels in the study group with antibodies to EBV antigens. In addition, an increase in the percentage of T lymphocytes with a CD4+CD3+IL-17+ phenotype in the patients with anti-VCA IgG antibodies was confirmed, and higher HbA1c levels may suggest that EBV infection is accompanied by an increase in IL-17 secretion.

Automated summary

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia due to abnormal insulin secretion or action. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is the most common type in children and adolescents, and its development is influenced by genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and immune response. Recent research has focused on the role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of EBV infection on immune cell activation, fructosamine levels, and HbA1c levels in children with type 1 diabetes.