Diabetes is managed with
regular insulin injections
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US scientists
have managed to rid diabetic mice of the
effects of the disease using a cocktail of
drugs.
The mice, who had type 1 diabetes,
started producing their own insulin after
taking a mixture of four drugs.
Previously the same team at Harvard
University had only been able to stop the
destruction of the cells which make insulin,
not regenerate them.
But in a study reported in the New
Scientist, they say adding another drug to
the original cocktail did just that.
They now hope to start trials in humans.
Type 1 diabetes is usually managed
through regular injections of insulin and
until now, research into a cure has focused
on transplanting the pancreatic beta cells
which produce the hormone from donors.
However this is complicated - both
because of the difficulty in finding a donor
and the problems of rejection - so
regenerating a person's own cells is seen as
far better option.
Extra enzyme
Last year, Dr Terry Strom and his team
demonstrated that they could stop the
on-going destruction of insulin-producing
beta cells in mice using a combination of
three drugs, although they were unable to
regenerate the cells.
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It is exciting that these
drugs could stop the immune
system from attacking
insulin-producing cells, but
it is too early to tell
whether these cells
recovered in the mice or if
new cells were produced
|
However, when they added an extra
ingredient - an enzyme called alpha 1 anti-trypsin
- a significant rise in the number of beta
cells was seen.
It is thought this extra drug may ease
the inflammation of pancreas, a key feature
of the disease.
"It would appear that by altering the
inflammatory state that surrounds this
autoimmune disease, you can create an
environment that enables expansion of the
beta cell mass," said Dr Strom.
He added that it was too early to say
whether the beta cells which had stopped
making insulin had recovered, or whether new
ones were being produced.
Dr Iain Frame, director of research at
Diabetes UK said: "This could potentially be
very important research in finding a better
treatment for diabetes.
"More research is needed as initial
studies have only been conducted in mice,
but Diabetes UK is pleased that clinical
trials are planned and look forward to
hearing the results."
