Stem Cell Blog
Употребата на матичните клетки од папочна врвца рапидно се зголемува. Пред 10 години крвта од папочна врвца можеше да лекува околу 40 состојби, но денес таа бројка е над 80. Со нетрпение очекуваме нови терапии за болести и нарушувања како што се дијабет, аутизам и мозочен удар, можете да бидете во тек со најновите случувања во регенеративната медицина на нашиот блог за матични клетки.
A 25-year-old woman from China is the first in the world to have been cured from type 1 diabetes, following an injection of islet cells derived from her own reprogrammed stem cells.
The study, published in the Cell journal, offers real hope to the millions of people worldwide suffering from this disease.
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s own immune system to mistakenly attack and destroy insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.[1]
Insulin is a hormone which moves glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into cells, where it is used for energy, and also helps store any extra glucose.[2]
Without insulin, glucose instead accumulates in the blood, causing a host of severe complications including vision loss, nerve damage, kidney failure, and non-healing ulcers that lead to lower limb amputations.[3]
This means people suffering from type 1 diabetes are dependent on external sources of insulin (through injections or a pump), and have to track and manage their blood sugar levels carefully.
How was the cure developed?
A team at Peking University, Beijing, China, extracted cells from three patients with type 1 diabetes and reverted them to a pluripotent state, from which they could be converted to different cell types in the body. These induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) were then used to generate clusters of islet cells, which would then be transplanted back into the patients.
Two and a half months later, the first patient to receive the transplant was producing enough insulin to no longer need external injections; she has remained insulin independent since, for more than a year.
Deng Hongkui, the lead scientist in the study, states the results for the other two patients in the study are also very positive. Those patients would have reached the one-year mark in November; it is hoped that when the results are published the trial could be expanded to more patients.[4]
Why is this trial important?
Islet cell transplantation can be an effective treatment for diabetes. In the past, this has relied on islet cells collected from organ donors, which are not sufficient to meet growing demand and require transplant recipients to use immune-suppressant medication to prevent transplant rejection.
A novel therapy developed by Vertex, currently undergoing clinical trials, aims to solve that issue by deriving islet cells from stem cells; however, this therapy also uses donated stem cells as a source, and thus requires the use of immune-suppressant medication.
It is hoped that the use of autologous (own) stem cells will remove the need for this medication. Since the patient studied was already on immune-suppressants due to a liver transplant, this is not a certainty; because type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, there is still a risk that the immune system could attack the newly-transplanted islets regardless. However, Deng and his team aim to develop islet cells that can entirely evade the immune response.
The importance of banking stem cells
Although further study is required to evaluate the effectiveness of this therapy, breakthroughs like this highlight the potential of stem cells in the development of treatments for life-altering, chronic conditions such as type 1 diabetes.
By banking your baby’s cord stem cells, you can make sure they can be used for regenerative therapies like this, should your baby them in the future. To find out more about saving these powerful cells for your baby, download your free Welcome Pack by filling in the form below.
References
The outcome of a recent clinical trial conducted by pharmaceutical company Vertex indicates huge promise for the development of a stem cell cure for type 1 diabetes.
The phase 1/2 study, whose results were presented at the American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Sessions this month, found that the infusion of VX-880 – a new stem cell derived therapy – occasioned significant improvements in diabetic patients’ wellbeing. [1]
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that stops the pancreas producing insulin. Insulin is the hormone the body produces to move glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into cells to make energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream and leads to hyperglycemia. [2]
Complications from hyperglycemia can be severe, affecting major organs like the heart and kidneys. Glucose build up can also damage nerves, as well as the blood vessels in the eyes which can result in blindness. [3]
Those who have type 1 diabetes are required to take insulin everyday, either with meals or at regular intervals, a process which can drastically alter lifestyle habits as well as quality of life. [4]
There is currently no known cure for type 1 diabetes and its root causes are unknown, although many believe the condition to be the result of either genetics or environmental factors like exposure to viruses.
According to Diabetes UK, around 1 in 10 people have type 1 diabetes. [5]
What were the results of the trial?
12 patients volunteered for the trial, all with type 1 diabetes and average haemoglobin A1C levels of 7.8%, a level that verges on risks from diabetic complications.
A1C levels measure the amount of haemoglobin with attached glucose in the bloodstream. A higher percentage equates to a higher level of glucose. The average A1C level for a non-diabetic is below 5.7%. [6]
The 12 patients underwent an infusion of VX-880, a new therapy containing islet cells – cell clusters that produce insulin in the pancreas – derived from stem cells.
Following the infusion, all patients demonstrated engraftment of the islet cells. By day 90, all patients also demonstrated glucose-responsive insulin production. All patients’ A1C level also dropped below 7%.
Out of 12 patients who received a full dose of VX-880, seven no longer needed daily insulin injections. Two more patients required about 70% less insulin to manage their blood sugar levels.
These results are incredibly promising and the trial has since been expanded to include 37 patients as research into the effectiveness of VX-880 continues. [7]
What is VX-880 stem cell therapy and how does it work?
VX-880 therapy involves introducing fresh islet cells derived from stem cells into the patient’s body.
Because stem cells have the unique ability to differentiate into other specialised cells in the body, they can be reprogrammed to become a specific cell type that can then be used to replace or restore certain cells that may be missing through disease.
The stem cells used in the trial were allogeneic, meaning that they were sourced from a donor and required both a good match in addition to immunosuppressant drugs to prevent them from being rejected by the patients’ immune systems.
The goal is for these new islet cells to restore the ability of the patients’ pancreases to produce insulin, effectively curing the disease and drastically reducing the need for them to have to administer insulin exogenously. [8]
Cord Blood Banking and Stem Cells
Breakthroughs like this underscore the incredible potential stem cells have in treating severe conditions like type 1 diabetes.
Though not yet an approved treatment, clinical trials like this one show that stem cells are at the forefront of developing regenerative therapies for diseases that are currently incurable.
By banking your baby’s umbilical cord stem cells, you can ensure that they have them ready and waiting should they ever need to access one of these regenerative therapies in the future.
To find out more about saving stem cells for your baby, fill out the form below for a free Welcome Pack.
References
07/07/2024 BlogDiabetesNewsStem Cell News
Researchers in Shanghai have claimed to have achieved the world’s first successful cure for type 2 diabetes using stem cell-derived islet transplantation.
Publishing their findings in the journal Cell Discovery, the team of scientists believe that this new therapy offers hope for the estimated 420 million people living with type 2 diabetes around the world. [1]
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that arises as a result of the body either being unable to produce insulin or being ineffective at using the insulin it produces in order to regulate blood sugar levels. [2]
Those with type 2 diabetes risk developing hyperglycemia, otherwise known as high blood glucose levels, as a result of being unable to metabolise glucose. Hyperglycemia can cause complications over time, including damage to organs.
Current management strategies primarily involve glycemic control through medications including insulin, as well as strict diet management to monitor blood sugar levels, leaving a substantial unmet need for a definitive cure. [3]
How did researchers develop the cure?
Scientists undertook a study centred around a 59-year-old male patient with a 25-year history of type 2 diabetes. Following a kidney transplant in 2017, the patient experienced a decline in pancreatic islet function, necessitating daily multi-dose insulin injections.
To address this challenge, the research team led by Dr. Yin Hao turned to a pioneering stem cell treatment. Utilising the patient’s own endoderm stem cells (EnSCs), they were able to differentiate these stem cells into functional pancreatic islet cells – cells in the pancreas that secrete hormones, including insulin and glucagon, that help regulate blood sugar levels. [4]
Once differentiated, these so-called ‘E-islet cells’ could then be implanted into the patient. [5]
What were the results of the transplant?
In July 2021, the patient underwent the autologous islet cell transplantation. Notably, the patient achieved insulin independence within a mere 11 weeks post-transplantation. Oral medication for diabetes management was gradually reduced and ultimately discontinued a year later.
Follow-up examinations conducted over a prolonged period revealed restored pancreatic function, with the patient no longer requiring exogenous insulin or oral medications.
Additionally, normal kidney function was maintained, suggesting a potential long-term cure for both type 2 diabetes and the underlying complications associated with the initial kidney transplant. [6]
What are the next steps in treating diabetes with stem cells?
This groundbreaking achievement signifies a paradigm shift in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
The successful application of stem cell therapy offers a path towards a potential cure, paving the way for further research into the large-scale implementation and long-term efficacy of this novel approach.
While further clinical trials are warranted to validate these findings, this case study undoubtedly sparks hope for a future free from the burden of diabetes.
If you want to learn more about saving stem cells for your baby, download your free Welcome Pack by filling out the form below.
References
[2] Watts, M. (2023, December 14). Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes.co.uk. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/type2-diabetes.html
[3] Chong K, Chang JK-J, Chuang L-M.Recent advances in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus using new drug therapies. Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2024;40(3):212–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/kjm2.12800220
[4] Wu, J., Li, T., Guo, M. et al. Treating a type 2 diabetic patient with impaired pancreatic islet function by personalized endoderm stem cell-derived islet tissue. Cell Discov 10, 45 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41421-024-00662-3
A new study published in the journal Burns & Trauma has found that the application of stem cells promotes the repair of diabetic wounds. [1]
Affecting nearly 1 in 10 adults worldwide, diabetes is quickly becoming one of the most prevalent and widespread causes of global public health concern. [2]
Along with causing high blood sugar levels, diabetes can lead to comorbidities that can drastically affect and complicate diabetes sufferers’ quality of life and health.
Chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, are the leading cause of such complications, which can result in disability and even, in some cases, mortality.
Diabetic wounds heal more slowly because normal cellular processes are interrupted by high glucose levels.
One important cellular process that high glucose particularly affects is autophagy, the process by which damaged cells are broken down by the body and recycled towards other areas of cellular repair. Autophagy plays a pivotal role in the healing process. [3]
What the team at Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University found was that the application of exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells significantly improved the healing process of wounds in diabetic mice.
They observed the exosomes upregulating the autophagy flux, meaning increased epidermal cell proliferation and migration, promoting healing.
These findings are highly promising, suggesting that mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes have the potential to reduce the risks posed by diabetic wounds and speed up the recovery process for those who suffer from them.
Currently 50%-70% of all amputations are for diabetic foot ulcers. Depending on further findings, the use of stem cells in the treatment of diabetic wounds like foot ulcers may even mean an end for drastic last resort measures, such as amputation. [4]
If you want to know more about the potential of stem cells and about how to privately store the mesenchymal stem cells from your baby’s umbilical cord and placenta, download our FREE Welcome Pack below.
References
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