CURE DIABETES : HOPE TO TRANSPLANT PANCREATIC CELLS

Cure Diabetes : Hope To Transplant Pancreatic Cells
U.S. researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a technique for transplanting pancreatic cells secreting insulin, which causes only a very moderate response of the immune system. This discovery could have important repercussions on how to treat type 1 diabetes. This work was published in the online version of the journal Gene Therapy.

The type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease incurable. In patients suffering from this disease, the immune system attacks the beta cells producing insulin in the pancreas. Insulin helps to lower blood glucose (sugar) in blood. People with type 1 diabetes must constantly monitor their blood sugar and need daily injections of insulin.

Transplantation of pancreatic cells represents a promising alternative. Cells taken from deceased donors are injected into the patient. These new cells replace destroyed cells. The disadvantage of this method is that patients must take powerful immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection. Most transplant patients still end up rejecting the transplanted cells.

In this study the researchers have successfully transplanted cells make invisible recipient's immune system and protecting the rejection. They managed this by using the natural usability of a virus (adenovirus) to escape the immune system. Pancreatic cells producing insulin were transfect with three genes of adenovirus.

These modified cells were then transplanted to diabetic mice. These transplanted mice were able to maintain glucose levels in normal blood until three months after transplantation. In normal cells grafted restore normal blood sugar levels but only for a few days.

Professor Harris Goldstein, who is the principal investigator of the study, acknowledges that the concept is valid but admits he must improve technology in achieving a combination of all genes that prevent rejection.

Source: EurekAlert

Diabetes: The Activation Of A Specific Gene Transforms Cells Into Pancreatic Beta Cells Secreting Insulin

When Cells Become Alpha Beta
Diabetes type 1 is characterized by loss of pancreatic beta cells that produce the hormone insulin. Find how to restore these cells and their function is a major concern of scientists. With activation of a specific gene called Pax4, a team of Franco-German (1) has succeeded in transforming some cells in pancreatic beta cells secreting insulin. This work has been published in the scientific journal Cell (reference below).

The type 1 diabetes is a disease affecting one in three hundred and is characterized by loss of pancreatic beta cells synthesize the hormone insulin. It follows a rise in blood glucose which is conventionally treated by daily injections of insulin. However, because of variations in blood glucose caused mainly by food intake and physical activity, significant vascular complications can occur with time and result in amputation, blindness or even death. It is therefore necessary to find alternatives to treat type 1 diabetes.

A single gene, called Pax4, can change alpha cells, on left, into insulin-producing beta cells, on right, in lab mice.

In this context, by using a mouse model, researchers from Inserm showed they can literally transform some cells of the pancreatic alpha cells called beta cells synthesize the hormone insulin. This approach involves the forced activation of a single gene called Pax4 in all alpha cells. The results also demonstrate that alpha cells are continually reclaimed and converted into beta cells, leading, in this case, a massive increase number of beta cells. These are functional and can handle a type 1 diabetes induced chemically.

It is important to note that although these results were very promising obtained in mice and now need to be validated in humans.

"If these findings are confirmed in humans, then we would have an abundant source of cells in the body converts beta cells producing insulin. We would then discover how to force, but also control, conversion of it chemically "

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Notes:
(1) team led by Patrick Collombat (Inserm Unit 636 "Genetics of normal and pathological development") and Ahmed Mansouri (Max Planck Institute - Germany)
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Reference:
Article: The Ectopic Expression of Pax4 in the Mouse Pancreas Converts Progenitor Cells into Subsequently α and β Cells
Authors: Patrick Collombat, Xiaobo Xu, Philip Ravassard, Beatriz Sosa-Pineda, Sebastian Dussaud Nils Billestrup, Ole D. Madsen, Palle Serup, Harry Heimberg and Ahmed Mansouri
Journal Publication: Cell
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Source: Inserm

INSULIN PRODUCTION FROM SAFFLOWER PLANTS

Insulin produced from GMOs on the market soon?

Insulin produced from genetically modified plants (GMO) (plants in which a human gene has been assigned to a plant gene) could be soon on the market according to the statements made by a Canadian biotech company.

SemBioSys society, based in Calgary, announced in July 2006 to produce a molecule of insulin perfectly authentic and commercially viable from Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius). Insulin is extracted from the seeds of this plant.

Safflower "GMO" is now cultivated on a trial basis, in Chile, the United States and Canada. Culture is made "off season" to limit the risk spread in the environment of the introduced gene. Clinical trials were planned at the end of the year.

Existing commercial insulin production methods typically rely on yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or bacteria (Escherichia coli) were genetically engineered to produce synthetic human insulin. These organisms are grown in large, steel bio-reactors and then insulin is extracted and purified for final formulation.

The demand for insulin will explode
The demand for insulin in the treatment of diabetes, according to SemBioSys, 6,000 kg, representing a market of 3.7 billion dollars. This application should reach 12,000 kg by 2012, since the number of people with diabetes is increasing dramatically. We hesitate to speak of more epidemic or even pandemic. Aging population, overweight, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are the main causes of this increase.

In addition, alternative methods of administration (inhalation, oral) also contribute to increased demand since 5 to 10 times more insulin is needed for a similar efficiency to the injection. But SemBioSys believes reducing the production costs by 40%.

Anti-GMO
This announcement raises serious criticism from associations and other anti-GMO. The risk of contaminating the food chain and impacts on the environment would be too large compared to the benefits provided.

Sources:
BBC Health, Sembiosys