A Future Cure for Diabetes?

Well, we can dream can't we?

From Diabetes News and Nuggets

Some Background . . . 

We might be one step closer to a cure for diabetes - type 1 diabetes that is.  

Many folks hope that beta cell transplants (the Edmonton Protocol) will advance to a cure for type 1 diabetes.  But at least 2 major things stand in the way (as of now, Jan 2006).

1. Most people receiving beta cell transplants still need  insulin injections (albeit less insulin) and at some  point, the transplants fail altogether.   This is not yet a diabetes cure.

2. The drugs used to prevent the body from rejecting the transplants carry health risks. 

Number 2 is a biggee.  If they mastered number 1 and "cured" diabetes and its complications they would be subjecting people to possible long-term complications from the anti-rejection or immunosuppressive drugs (which include cancer). (Yes, #2 rears it's ugly head).

This Research is Hopeful. . . 

A study published in the journal Diabetes Care (vol 29; pp 137-138, 2006) describes an Italian study in which two people with  insulin dependent or type 1 diabetes received beta cell transplants that DID NOT require the use of immunosuppressive drugs. 

That's right.  Number 2 - the threat of complications from anti-rejection drugs - was removed from the picture. 

How? They encapsulated the beta cells so that the body wouldn't recognize them as being foreign. Now this isn't a new idea as it's been tried on mice. But this research used humans. 

The Results . . . 

Promising.  Much like the results of using beta cell transplants with immunosuppressives. The two people still required insulin, but less. They got better blood sugars - significantly better. Glycated hemoglobin dropped form 10% down to 6.2%  and from 9.5% to 7.2 % in these two people after 4 months. Glycated hemoglobins rose after this but still not to the pre-transplant level. After one year, the first subject's glycated hemoglobin was 7.7% - still a far cry from the original 10% and using less insulin than before transplant. 

No, it's not a cure for diabetes, but it's an impressive avenue to take to investigate further. Especially considering that this procedure is relatively simple (according to the authors of the paper - but I'm sure it's anything but), painless and "devoid of side-effects".  

What does this mean to you?

It means that science is striding one step closer to a cure for diabetes - type 1.  Please don't quote me. Science is not predictable.  Ten years from now we might be in the exact same position - or - we might have a cure for type 1 diabetes. Although, I doubt it will be that early. Still, this research gives me hope. I too have insulin dependent diabetes, as do many of my patients. I cautiously tell myself not to expect a cure in my lifetime (I've had diabetes 33 years now) but my heart and head still  disagree at times. Like now. My heart flipped a wee tad when I read this research.  

What's next  in the search for a cure for diabetes? 

More research of course.  Much more. The transplants need to 

• Free people from the need to take any insulin.  
• Result in normal A1c levels (glycated hemoglobin). 
• Last - they need to have lasting effects.
• Be accessible to all with type 1 diabetes.
• Overcome the problem of demand (lots, and lots of beta cells from donors would be needed).
• And of course, not leave us with other undesirable side effects.

Until then, we can dream of a cure for diabetes. . . can't we?

Good luck and good health! -- Bev

Looking for help with how to lower blood sugar, read here.

Reference: Calafiore, R et al. Microencapsulated Pancreatic Islet Allografts Into Nonimmunosuppressed Patients With Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Care vol 29:137-138, 2006.

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