In a groundbreaking study, a 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes began producing her own insulin less than three months after receiving a transplant of reprogrammed stem cells from her own body. Ta.
nature report A 25-year-old woman in Tianjin, China, became the first woman in the world to become insulin independent after receiving a transplant of reprogrammed stem cells, according to a study published today. today's cell. The woman, who has type 1 diabetes, began producing her own insulin less than three months after the transplant, making her the first patient to be treated using cells extracted from her own body.
The study, led by cell biologist Deng Hongkui and colleagues at Peking University in Beijing, extracted cells from three type 1 diabetic patients and returned them to a pluripotent state, allowing all types of cells in the body to Made it possible to mold into cells. The researchers improved a reprogramming technique originally developed by scientist Shinya Yamanaka, using small molecules instead of proteins to trigger gene expression, giving them greater control over the process.
Using these chemically induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, the researchers generated 3D clusters of pancreatic islets and tested them for safety and efficacy in mice and nonhuman primates . In June 2023, approximately 1.5 million pancreatic islets were injected into a woman's abdominal muscles in a 30-minute surgery. This new implantation site allowed the researchers to monitor the cells using MRI scans and remove them if necessary.
About three months after the transplant, the woman was producing enough insulin to survive without needing additional injections. She has maintained this level of production for over a year, and her blood sugar levels remain within her target range for more than 98 percent of the day. “It's okay to eat sugar now,” the woman said. natureadding that he enjoys eating anything.
James Shapiro, a transplant surgeon and researcher at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, called the results “remarkable” and said the researchers were able to “completely eliminate diabetes in patients who previously required large amounts of insulin.” I made a recovery,” he said.
The study follows the results of another group in Shanghai who reported in April that they had successfully transplanted reprogrammed stem cell-derived insulin-producing pancreatic islets into the liver of a 59-year-old man with type 2 diabetes. It is. The man then stopped taking insulin.
Although the results are promising, experts warn that the treatment needs to be replicated in more people and observed over longer periods of time before it can be considered a cure. Additionally, because the woman was already receiving immunosuppressants from a previous liver transplant, the researchers were unable to assess whether iPS cells reduced the risk of graft rejection.
Several groups have begun testing the use of islet cells generated from donor stem cells, which may be easier to scale up and commercialize than using the recipient's own cells. . Vertex Pharmaceuticals of Boston reported preliminary results from a trial on pancreatic islets derived from donated embryonic stem cells, showing participants produced insulin and some became insulin independent three months after transplantation. there was.
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News, where he covers free speech and online censorship issues.
