Figure 2.

Enteroviral RNA is increased in lymphocytic cells in T1D

(A–D) Detection and quantification of viral RNA (red), insulin (green), and CD45, CD4, or CD8 in bright field (dark red) in FFPE pancreases from autopsy from control donors without diabetes (A, B, and D: n = 14; C: n = 6), with T1D-associated autoantibodies (A, B, and D: AAb⁺, n = 10; C: n = 5), and with T1D (A, B, and D: n = 15; C: n = 5) and presented as (A) mean number of viral RNA⁺/CD45 co-positive cells throughout the whole pancreas section and (B) quantification of CD45 co-positive cells within insulin-containing islets and (C) within the exocrine pancreas. 15 randomly chosen parts of equal size of each pancreas section were analyzed. The dashed boxes in (A) and (B) mark two donors of the study cohort with dual AAb⁺, showing increased virus/CD45 co-localization (A) and CD45⁺ cells within islets (B), compared to controls and single AAb⁺ donors.

(D) Representative microscopical pictures from immunostainings of control, AAb⁺, and T1D pancreatic sections. White arrows show viral RNA⁺/CD45⁺ co-positive cells, black arrows viral RNA⁺/CD45⁻ cells, and blue arrows viral RNA⁻/CD45⁺ cells next to a viral RNA⁺ cell. Stainings were performed in two technical replicas. Scale bars depict 10 μm. ∗p<0.05 to control.