Category Archives: Diabetes

Researchers hope stem cells could one day treat chronic conditions like diabetes and Parkinsons disease.

Healthy bloom: Insulin, shown in red, is being produced by cells that started as embryonic stem cells derived from a patient with type 1 diabetes.

A series of breakthroughs in cloning technology over the last year and a half are stoking hopes that cells could be used as treatments for patients with chronic, debilitating diseases such as diabetes and Parkinsons.

In January 2013, researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University reported that they had successfully created embryonic stem cells from a human embryo formed when the nucleus of one persons cell was transferred into another persons egg that had its original nucleus removed (see Human Embryonic Stem Cells Cloned). That was the first time stem cells had been made from such a cloned embryo, and the advance provides a potential route by which scientists could create various kinds of replacement cells based on a patients own genome. Many other research teams are pursuing another method of creating stem cells from a patients own cells, but some believe cells made with the cloning technique could be more likely to develop into a wide variety of cell types.

In the most recent advance for the cloning-based approach, a new report describes stem cells produced by cloning a skin cell from a woman with type 1 diabetes. The researchers were then able to turn those stem cells into insulin-producing cells resembling the beta cells that are lost in that disease. The immune system attacks these pancreatic cells, leaving patients unable to properly regulate their blood sugar levels.

Susan Solomon, a coauthor of the new study and cofounder of the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), told reporters the results are an important step forward in our quest to develop healthy patient-specific stem cells to be used to replace cells that are diseased or dead.

The ultimate idea is to treat diabetes with insulin-producing cells made from a patients own cells and a donated egg. Currently, insulin-producing cells harvested from a cadaver are transplanted into some diabetes patients. But patients treated this way must take immunosuppressing drugs, and the number of cadaver cells is limited.

The cloned cells are thought to be better accepted by the immune system. But given that the body attacks its own beta cells, how can researchers prevent the immune destruction of the transplants? Its very difficult, says Solomon. We are acutely aware of the need to address both sides of the problem.

There are also regulatory issues surrounding the cloning method. Lead researcher and coauthor Dieter Egli began the research at Harvard University but moved it to the New York institution because Massachusetts restrictions on egg donation prevented the work from progressing.

Egg supply is another challenge. The cloning works about 10 percent of the time, and only three of the four cloned embryos in the experiment led to viable stem-cell lines. When you think about wider application of this technology for patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, [and others], you are talking about hundreds of millions of people, says Robert Lanza, a stem-cell pioneer at Advanced Cell Technology and coauthor of a recent cloning report. When you start talking about numbers like that, its just not going to be practical to use these cells in that patient-specific way.

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Stem Cells from a Diabetes Patient

Regenerative medicine took a step forward on Monday with the announcement of the creation of the first disease-specific line of embryonic stem cells made with a patient's own DNA.

These cells, which used DNA from a 32-year-old woman who had developed Type-1 diabetes at the age of ten, might herald the daystill far in the futurewhen scientists replace dysfunctional cells with healthy cells identical to the patient's own but grown in the lab.

The work was led by Dieter Egli of the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) and was published Monday in Nature.

"This is a really important step forward in our quest to develop healthy, patient-specific stem cells that can be used to replace cells that are diseased or dead," said Susan Solomon, chief executive officer of NYSCF, which she co-founded in 2005 partly to search for a cure for her son's diabetes.

Stem cells could one day be used to treat not only diabetes but also other diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Embryonic Stem Cells Morph Into Beta Cells

In Type 1 diabetes, the body loses its ability to produce insulin when insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas become damaged. Ideally this problem could be corrected with replacement therapy, using stem cells to create beta cells the body would recognize as its own because they contain the patient's own genome. This is the holy grail of personalized medicine.

To create a patient-specific line of embryonic stem cells, Egli and his colleagues used a technique known as somatic cell nuclear transfer. They took skin cells from the female patient, removed the nucleus from one cell and then inserted it into a donor egg cellan oocytefrom which the nucleus had been removed.

They stimulated the egg to grow until it became a blastocyst, a hundred-cell embryo in which some cells are "pluripotent," or capable of turning into any type of cell in the body. The researchers then directed a few of those embryonic stem cells to become beta cells. To their delight, the beta cells in the lab produced insulin, just as they would have in the body.

This research builds on work done last year in which scientists from the Oregon Health and Science University used the somatic cell nuclear transfer technique with skin cells from a fetus. It also advances previous work done by Egli and his colleagues in 2011, in which they created embryonic stem cell lines with an extra set of chromosomes. (The new stem cells, and the ones from Oregon, have the normal number of chromosomes.)

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Scientists Create Personalized Stem Cells, Raising Hopes for Diabetes Cure

CFL player John Chick sets up 9-year-old Jack, a football fan with type 1 diabetes, for field goal victory. The

TORONTO , Aug. 22, 2013 /CNW/ - CFL player John Chick sets up 9-year-old Jack, a football fan with type 1 diabetes, for field goal victory. The defensive end, who also lives with the disease and wears an insulin pump on the field, is helping to Kick Diabetes with Sun Life Financial to raise awareness for diabetes research and management.

Image with caption: "CFL player John Chick sets up 9-year-old Jack, a football fan with type 1 diabetes, for field goal victory. The defensive end, who also lives with the disease and wears an insulin pump on the field, is helping to Kick Diabetes with Sun Life Financial to raise awareness for diabetes research and management. (CNW Group/Sun Life Financial Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130822_C7499_PHOTO_EN_30041.jpg

SOURCE: Sun Life Financial Inc.

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John Chick: Giving diabetes the boot

By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, June 5 (HealthDay News) -- Using an immune-suppressing medication and adult stem cells from healthy donors, researchers say they were able to cure type 1 diabetes in mice.

"This is a whole new concept," said the study's senior author, Habib Zaghouani, a professor of microbiology and immunology, child health and neurology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Mo.

In the midst of their laboratory research, something unanticipated occurred. The researchers expected that the adult stem cells would turn into functioning beta cells (cells that produce insulin). Instead, the stem cells turned into endothelial cells that generated the development of new blood vessels to supply existing beta cells with the nourishment they needed to regenerate and thrive.

"I believe that beta cells are important, but for curing this disease, we have to restore the [blood vessels]," Zaghouani said.

It's much too early to know if this novel combination would work in humans. But the findings could stimulate new avenues of research, another expert says.

"This is a theme we've seen a few times recently. Beta cells are plastic and can respond and expand when the environment is right," said Andrew Rakeman, a senior scientist in beta cell regeneration at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). "But, there's some work still to be done. How do we get from this biological mechanism to a more conventional therapy?"

Results of the study were published online May 28 in Diabetes.

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes, a chronic disease sometimes called juvenile diabetes, remains unclear. It's thought to be an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and damages insulin-producing beta cells (found in islet cells in the pancreas) to the point where they no longer produce insulin, or they produce very little insulin. Insulin is a hormone necessary to convert the carbohydrates from food into fuel for the body and brain.

Zaghouani said he thinks the beta cell's blood vessels may just be collateral damage during the initial autoimmune attack.

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Stem Cell Therapy Cures Type 1 Diabetes in Mice

Potential Diabetes Breakthrough
HSCI Co-Director Doug Melton and postdoctoral fellow Peng Yi have discovered a hormone that holds promise for a dramatically more effective treatment of type...

By: harvardstemcell

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Potential Diabetes Breakthrough - Video

THURSDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- A hormone that could lead to more effective diabetes treatment has been identified by researchers.

The hormone, called betatrophin, causes mice to produce insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells at up to 30 times the normal rate. But it only produces insulin when the body needs it, according to the team at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

The researchers said their findings offer the potential for the natural regulation of insulin and a significant reduction in diabetes-related complications such as blindness and limb amputation.

The study is published in the April 25 online edition of the journal Cell and in its May 9 print issue.

Although the hormone shows promise in lab mice, much more work is needed before it could be considered as a treatment for diabetes in humans, the researchers noted. Results obtained in animal experiments often aren't attainable in trials with humans.

"If this could be used in people, it could eventually mean that instead of taking insulin injections three times a day, you might take an injection of this hormone once a week or once a month, or in the best case maybe even once a year," Doug Melton, co-director of the institute and co-chair of Harvard University's department of stem cell and regenerative biology, said in a university news release.

About 26 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, which causes people to slowly lose beta cells and the ability to produce sufficient amounts of insulin.

"Our idea here is relatively simple," Melton said. "We would provide this hormone, the type 2 diabetic will make more of their own insulin-producing cells, and this will slow down, if not stop, the progression of their diabetes. I've never seen any treatment that causes such an enormous leap in beta cell replication."

Along with its potential for treating type 2 diabetes, betatrophin might also have a role in treating type 1 diabetes, Melton said.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is associated with being overweight and sedentary, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs most often in children and young adults.

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Hormone Shows Potential as Diabetes Treatment in Mice

By Maggie Fox, Senior Writer, NBC News

Researchers trying to find a cure for diabetes said Thursday they had discovered a new hormone, previously unknown to medicine, that makes the very cells destroyed by the disease. It has the potential to transform the way we now care for diabetes the No. 7 killer in the United States, the researchers said.

The new hormone, which they have named betatrophin, encourages the growth of beta cells in the pancreas. These beta cells produce insulin, which people with diabetes lack. Without insulin, sugar can build up in the blood, damaging organs and blood vessels and causing blindness, kidney failure and the loss of limbs.

So far the team at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have only worked in mice. But they say humans make betatrophin, too, and its almost identical to the mouse type.

It is very exciting to think this could turn into a treatment for people, Dr. Douglas Melton, who led the work, told NBC News.

We discovered that only one gene was responsible for making more of these insulin-producing beta cells. Once we were able to make the hormone as a protein, like insulin, then we would be able to administer it.

Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 90 percent have type 2, which is linked to poor diet and a lack of enough exercise, although theres a genetic component, too. Type 1 or juvenile diabetes is caused whenthe bodys immune system mistakenly attacks the pancreatic beta cells.

Both types can eventually leave patients without the ability to make insulin properly. In type 1 diabetes and some cases of type 2, patients must inject insulin when they eat to make sure the body metabolizes the food properly and doesnt get too much or too little sugar.

Its tricky and most people dont get it just right. Many researchers are trying to find something better.

Meltons lab has been focused on regenerating or replacing beta cells. His colleague Peng Yi stumbled on the new hormone and the team was astonished to find that an overlooked gene controlled production of a hormone that directly stimulates beta cell growth.

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Diabetes team finds new hormone that could transform care

By Roger Dobson

PUBLISHED: 22:48 EST, 11 March 2013 | UPDATED: 23:38 EST, 11 March 2013

Sitting in a diving chamber may be a new treatment for type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the condition.

Scientists are combining the treatment with injections of a patients own stem cells in a bid to kick-start insulin production.

They believe the high levels of oxygen in the chamber boosts the activity of the stem cells, helping them to repair the cells in the body that produce insulin.

There are around 2.9 million Britons with diabetes, with most of them suffering from type 2

In a new trial, patients with type 2 diabetes reduced their need for insulin and metformin (a common diabetes drug) with some no longer needing the insulin at all.

So-called hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves a patient sitting in a pressurised chamber.

The high-pressure atmosphere means they breathe in three times as much oxygen as they would normally.

The treatment is normally used for helping divers who have surfaced too quickly and have the bends (where bubbles of nitrogen form in the blood).

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Diabetes : Deep-sea diving tank combined with stem cells to treat condition

Mike Maldonado uses exercise to fight Diabetes and Cancer
Mike had Type 1 Diabetes and got into working out after he recovered from a Coma caused by Diabetes. He started working out after his doctor asked him to gain some weight. After exercising Mike gained muslce and he seem to be fine. After some time he was diagnosed with Cancer (Lymphoma) and had also formed a tumour under his heart. He lost about 80 lbs in two weeks. His cancer got into his bone marrow and copromised his immune system. Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy didn #39;t help much. Bone Marrow transplant didn #39;t work because the donor did not come through. Stem Cell transplant helped him recover. After gaining some strength Mike was able to go to the gym and started gaining weight and his muscle back. He now also has a Coronary Heart disease and his life expectancy is unknown, but Mike has not given up and keeps training to stay strong. He is a true inspiration and a true hero. Mike thinks our mind can overcome any obstacle and our body can overcome anything that we set our mind to. We should live a healthy lifestyle.

By: Romi Gill

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Mike Maldonado uses exercise to fight Diabetes and Cancer - Video

Jan. 31, 2013 New research has shown the presence of a disease affecting small blood vessels, known as microangiopathy, in the bone marrow of diabetic patients. While it is well known that microangiopathy is the cause of renal damage, blindness and heart attacks in patients with diabetes, this is the first time that a reduction of the smallest blood vessels has been shown in bone marrow, the tissue contained inside the bones and the main source of stem cells.

These precious cells not only replace old blood cells but also exert an important reparative function after acute injuries and heart attacks. The starvation of bone marrow as a consequence of microangiopathy can lead to a less efficient healing in diabetic patients. Also, stem cells from a patient's bone marrow are the most used in regenerative medicine trials to mend hearts damaged by heart attacks. Results from this study highlight an important deficit in stem cells and supporting microenvironment that can reduce stem cells' therapeutic potential in diabetic patients.

The research team, led by Professor Paolo Madeddu, Chair of Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine in the School of Clinical Sciences and Bristol Heart Institute at the University of Bristol, investigated the effect of diabetes on bone marrow stem cells and the nurturing of small blood vessels in humans.

The new study, published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research, was funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The researchers have shown a profound remodelling of the marrow, which shows shortage of stem cells and surrounding vessels mainly replaced by fat, especially in patients with a critical lack of blood supply to a tissue (ischaemia). This means that, as peripheral vascular complications progress, more damage occurs in the marrow. In a vicious cycle, depletion of bone marrow stem cells worsens the consequences of peripheral ischaemia.

Investigation of underpinning mechanisms revealed that exposure of bone marrow stem cells to the high glucose level typical of diabetes mellitus impacts on "microRNAs," which are tiny RNA molecules controlling gene expression and hence biological functions. In particular, microRNA-155, that normally controls the production of stem cells, becomes dramatically reduced in bone marrow cells exposed to high glucose. Diabetes-induced deficits are corrected by reintroducing microRNA-155 in human stem cells. The authors foresee that microRNAs could be used to regain proper stem cells number in diabetes and fix stem cells before reintroduction into a patient's body.

Professor Paolo Madeddu said: "Our study draws attention to the bone marrow as a primary target of diabetes-induced damage. The research suggests that the severity of systemic vascular disease has an impact on bone marrow causing a precocious senescence of stem cells. More severe bone marrow pathologies can cause, or contribute to, cardiovascular disease and lead to worse outcomes after a heart attack, through the shortage of vascular regenerative cells. Clinical evidence indicates that achieving a good control of glucose levels is fundamental to prevent vascular complications, but is less effective in correcting microangiopathy. We need to work hard to find new therapies for mending damaged microvessels."

Professor Costanza Emanueli, Chair of Vascular Pathology and Regeneration at the University of Bristol and co-author of the paper, added: "MicroRNAs represent an attractive means to repair the marrow damage and generate "better" stem cells for regenerative medicine applications. We are working at protocols using microRNA targeting for enhancing the therapeutic potential of stem cells before their transplantation to cure heart and limb ischaemia, which are often associated with diabetes mellitus. More work is, however, necessary before using this strategy in patients."

The findings advance the current understanding of pathological mechanisms leading to collapse of the vascular niche and reduced availability of regenerative cells. The data provides a key for interpretation of diabetes-associated defect in stem cell mobilisation following a heart attack. In addition, the research reveals a new molecular mechanism that could in the future become the target of specific treatments to alleviate vascular complications in patients with diabetes.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the BHF said: "Professor Madeddu and his team have shown for the first time that the bone marrow in patients with diabetes can't release stem cells which are important for the repair of blood vessel damage commonly found in people with the disease.

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Diabetes distresses bone marrow stem cells by damaging their microenvironment