Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 as a potential cause of type 1 diabetes facilitated by spike protein receptor binding domain attachment to human islet cells: An illustrative case study and experimental data. Issue 11 (10th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Venkatesh, Nisha; Astbury, Natalie; Thomas, Merlin C.; Rosado, Carlos J.; Pappas, Evan; Krishnamurthy, Balasubramanian; MacIsaac, Richard J.; Kay, Thomas W. H.; Thomas, Helen E.; O'Neal, David N.
• Is Part Of: Diabetic medicine. Volume 38:Issue 11(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-06-10
• Subjects: COVID‐19 -- critical care -- diabetic ketoacidosis -- islets of Langerhans -- pneumonia -- SARS‐CoV‐2 -- type 1 diabetes; Diabetes -- Periodicals; 616.462
• DOI: 10.1111/dme.14608
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-3071

Abstract

Abstract: Aims: Aim of this study is to report severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection, responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), as a possible cause for type 1 diabetes by providing an illustrative clinical case of a man aged 45 years presenting with antibody‐negative diabetic ketoacidosis post‐recovery from COVID‐19 pneumonia and to explore the potential for SARS‐CoV‐2 to adhere to human islet cells. Methods: Explanted human islet cells from three independent solid organ donors were incubated with the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein receptor biding domain (RBD) fused to a green fluorescent protein (GFP) or a control‐GFP, with differential adherence established by flow cytometry. Results: Flow cytometry revealed dose‐dependent specific binding of RBD‐GFP to islet cells when compared to control‐GFP. Conclusions: Although a causal basis remains to be established, our case and in vitro data highlight a potential mechanism by which SARS‐CoV‐2 infection may result in antibody‐negative type 1 diabetes.