stem cells release a group of type 1 diabetics of insulin
a particular type of stem cell transplantBrazil
A patient even stayed four years without needing external sources of insulin, although the average was 31 months, said the authors of a report that appears in the April 15 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, dedicated to diabetes.
Patients also maintained their blood sugar under control, a key point in the prevention of diabetic complications.In addition, the authors assured that the high levels of the C peptide indicated that the beta cells of the pancreas were alive and in good condition.
"We wanted to preserve the beta-vaulular mass of pancreatic islets, which are the cells that produce insulin, by blocking the attack of the immune system to these cells," said the main author of the study, Dr. Richard Burt, of the Faculty of the Faculty ofFeinberg Medicine from Northwestern University in Chicago."Why do we examine freshly diagnosed patients? Because we wanted to make sure that there were still some islet cells. We do not believe that stem cells form the islet cells, but if there are still islet cells, perhaps they can regenerate if we stop the attack on time."
It is possible that the technique is not effective in patients who have diabetes for years, Weimin Heimin HE, assistant professor at the Center for Genetic and Environmental Medicine of the Institute of Biociencies and Technology of the Texas A&A PIP Health Sciences Center; M.
Beta cells secrete insulin, the hormone that is critical in the displacement and storage of blood sugar and, therefore, keep blood sugar at a stable level.In type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, the patient's body attacks his own beta cells.
Restoring the innate capacity of the body to produce insulin is the Holy Grail of Diabetes Research.Some patients have received transplants from insulin -producing cells from a donor, but none has managed to free themselves from external insulin for more than five years, said Dr. Spyros Mezitis, endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.This is because the body begins over time to also attack those cells.
The current approach is more hopeful, because since it involves the patient's own cells, not only does the possibility of rejection circumvate but, theoretically, the production of an unlimited number of future cells, he said.
A 2007 study conducted by the same group of researchers found that autologous stem cell transplantation (patient's own stem cells) non -myelolative hematopoietic stem allowed type 1 diabetes patients stop using insulin, at least for a while.
"That was the first time in history that we achieved normal blood sugar and A1C levels, and we released medication patients after an intervention," Burt said."Otherwise, patients must continue with insulin or islet transplantIt is nothing more than a prolonged period of unusual honeymoon. "
"The body takes time to attack and destroy insulin producing cells," said Mezitis."So the cells continue to produce insulin, then, as the body attacks the cells, they die."In this last report, the authors found improvements in beta cells of 23 patients from 13 to 31 years, who had received a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.
All participants underwent an HSCT, which consists of extracting the patient's own stem cells and then injecting them again into the body.
Twenty patients stopped injecting insulin, 12 of them for an average of 31 months.Eight patients began to take a new dose of insulin.
Blood sugar levels were not only normalized among individuals who stopped needing external insulin sources or who needed less insulin;but peptide levels increased significantly.
In other words, beta cells were working, at least partially.There were side effects, but no death among the group of participants.
The study was partly funded by Genzyme Corp. and Johnson & AMP;Johnson-Lifescanbrazil.
