Type 1 diabetes, for the first time secreted insulin by transplanted stem cells

by time news

Type 1 diabetes, the American startup ViaCyte used stem cell transplantation to allow the patient to produce his own insulin

For the first time, it was secreted insulin from cells transplanted in patients with type 1 diabetes. This is demonstrated by the intermediate results of a multicenter clinical study led byUniversity of British Columbia, published in magazines Cell Stem Cell e Cell Reports Medicine. Despite the absence of relevant clinical effects, the data are the first reported evidence of meal-regulated insulin secretion by stamina cells differentiated in human patients.

This is the geneticist’s comment Giuseppe Novelli on the discovery: “For the first time it is possible to perform a stem cell transplant on patients suffering from type 1 diabetes. The regenerated cells were able to produce insulin. In the past, similar experiments had only been done on animals and with little clinical results “.

The study was conducted on 26 patients to test the safety, tolerability and efficacy of the implants, which consisted of pancreatic endodermal cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells (PSC).

Type 1 diabetes: Insulin was first secreted from stem cells transplanted into patients

“This study, which will remain in the history of medicine, perhaps opens the definitive path to the use of stem cells capable of functioning” comments Novelli. About 100 years after the discovery of the hormone insulin, the type 1 diabetes remains a life-altering and sometimes life-threatening diagnosis. The disease is characterized by the destruction of the beta cells which produce insulin in the Langerhans Islands of the pancreas, which leads to high levels of glucose in the blood. Insulin treatment lowers concentrations of glucose but it does not completely normalize them. In addition, modern systems for the administration ofinsulin they can be burdensome to wear for long periods, sometimes malfunction, and often lead to long-term complications. While islet replacement therapy might offer a cure because it restores insulin secretion in the body, this procedure has not been widely adopted because donor organs are scarce. These challenges underscore the need for an abundant alternative supply of producing cells insulin. The use of human stem cells has made significant progress to become a viable clinical option for the mass production of insulin-producing cells.

In 2006, scientists from Novocell (Now ViaCyte) reported a multistage protocol that directs the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells in cellule endodermiche pancreatiche immature. This step-by-step protocol manipulating key signaling pathways was based on the embryonic development of the pancreas. Follow-up studies showed that these cellule endodermiche pancreatiche they were able to further mature and become fully functional when implanted in animal models. Based on these results, clinical trials using these have been initiated cellule endodermiche pancreatiche. Now two groups report a phase I / II clinical trial in which cellule endodermiche pancreatiche were placed in non-immunoprotective (“open”) macroencapsulation devices, which allowed direct vascularization of the cells and implanted under the skin in patients with type 1 diabetes. The use of standard third-party cells in this islet-based replacement strategy stamina cells he asked immunosuppressive agents, which protect against transplant rejection but can cause important side effects, such as cancer and infections. Participants underwent an immunosuppressive treatment regimen commonly used in donor islet transplant procedures.

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