Genetic variants in the Interferon Induced Helicase C Domain 1 (IFIH1) locus on Chr2q24.2 are associated with protection from T1D correlating with lower expression of the IFIH1-encoded protein product MDA5 (melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5), a cytoplasmic sensor of viral double stranded RNA (dsRNA) that activates a cascade of antiviral responses [45,46]. This evidence concerns the gene IFIH1 and type 1 diabetes mellitus.