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HuckleB

(35,773 posts)
Mon Apr 18, 2016, 03:41 PM Apr 2016

Study backs pancreas cell transplants for severe diabetes

Source: Washington Post

Transplants of insulin-producing pancreas cells are a long hoped-for treatment for diabetes — and a new study shows they can protect the most seriously ill patients from a life-threatening complication of the disease, an important step toward U.S. approval.

These transplants are used in some countries but in the U.S. they’re available only through research studies. Armed with Monday’s findings, researchers hope to license them for use in a small number of people with Type 1 diabetes who are most at risk for drops in blood sugar so severe they can lead to seizures, even death.

“Cell-based diabetes therapy is real and works and offers tremendous potential for the right patient,” said study lead author Dr. Bernhard Hering of the University of Minnesota, whose team plans to seek a Food and Drug Administration license for the therapy.

...

Diabetics who get kidney transplants sometimes also receive pancreas transplants at the same time, essentially curing their diabetes. But it’s an uncommon and grueling operation, so scientists for years have worked on a minimally invasive alternative: Infusing patients with just islet cells, the insulin factories inside the pancreas.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/study-backs-pancreas-cell-transplants-for-severe-diabetes/2016/04/18/13d76e9c-058b-11e6-bfed-ef65dff5970d_story.html



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Study backs pancreas cell transplants for severe diabetes (Original Post) HuckleB Apr 2016 OP
Sad and happy Bayard Apr 2016 #1
Thank you for sharing your story. HuckleB Apr 2016 #8
Why only the most severe? Is it still in the experimental stage? jwirr Apr 2016 #2
Yes, at this point. HuckleB Apr 2016 #3
Okay that makes sense. If nothing was working for me I jwirr Apr 2016 #4
Fascinating. SoapBox Apr 2016 #5
They make that by NOT curing it. Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2016 #9
exactly Enrique Apr 2016 #10
Wow. Hope this goes somewhere good. nt silvershadow Apr 2016 #6
Great news! geardaddy Apr 2016 #7
This study intrigues me: Can A Common Germ Cure Diabetes? IDemo Apr 2016 #11
Stimulating the secretion of insulin won't do a type 1 any good TexasProgresive Apr 2016 #12
They are 'reprogramming' non-islet cells to produce insulin IDemo Apr 2016 #13

Bayard

(21,806 posts)
1. Sad and happy
Mon Apr 18, 2016, 04:30 PM
Apr 2016

I've lost two sisters to complications of Type 1 diabetes. I'm thrilled techniques like this are being done, but very sad its too late for my family.

I wonder if there's a requirement for how good the patient's condition is, or their age. I'm thinking that like most transplants, if they don't think you have a fair shot of recovering, they don't try. My oldest sister's kidney transplant came from me, or I'm sure she would have been at the bottom of the list. My other sister received two different cadaver kidneys, which never worked as well.

IDemo

(16,926 posts)
11. This study intrigues me: Can A Common Germ Cure Diabetes?
Mon Apr 18, 2016, 06:44 PM
Apr 2016

"Bacteria" definitely feels like a dirty word. E. coli strains trigger food poisoning and Streptococcus infections cause sore throats, but the truth is that less than 1% of bacteria types are actually harmful. In fact, many forms of bacteria are beneficial to the human body. They're called probiotics.

Lauded for their digestive benefits, probiotics are one of the most popular natural supplements in the US,1 but you can also find them in common foods. Yogurt, cheese, and even chocolate contain Lactobacillus gasseri, one of the most common probiotics.

Lactobacillus has been known to treat diarrhea and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. Now though, scientists are beginning to discover that Lactobacillus could be a key to doing much more than just curing an upset stomach—like curing diabetes.

Engineered Lactobacillus

In a new study published by Diabetes, a team of researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, used a specially-engineered strain of Lactobacillus on diabetic rats. The probiotic released a hormone called Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which stimulates the secretion of insulin.

http://www.diabeticlifestyle.com/eating-well/can-common-germ-cure-diabetes

--Type 1 for 52 years.

TexasProgresive

(12,148 posts)
12. Stimulating the secretion of insulin won't do a type 1 any good
Mon Apr 18, 2016, 07:08 PM
Apr 2016

they are incapable of producing insulin. Many type 2 diabetic are insulin resistant so that action would over work a tired pancreas.

IDemo

(16,926 posts)
13. They are 'reprogramming' non-islet cells to produce insulin
Mon Apr 18, 2016, 07:33 PM
Apr 2016

Another source explains it better:

When researchers in this study gave GLP-1 producing bacteria to rats with diabetes, GLP-1 was released into the gut and ‘reprogrammed’ some of the gut cells, causing them to become insulin-producing cells. The researchers found that the reprogrammed gut cells released up to a third of the insulin produced by a rat without diabetes, helping the rats to manage their blood glucose levels.


https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News/Can-a-probiotic-pill-to-cure-diabetes/


'Up to a third of insulin produced by non-diabetic mice' implies that without expanded success with probiotics, injections would still be a requirement.
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