Breakthrough Treatment Reverses Type 1 diabetes in Mice,Offering Hope for Human Trials
STANFORD,CA – In a notable advancement toward a potential cure,researchers have successfully reversed or prevented type 1 diabetes in mice using a novel “hybrid immune system” approach. The experimental treatment, detailed in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, combines islet cell transplantation with blood stem cell infusions from the same donor, effectively resetting the immune system to halt the autoimmune attack characteristic of the disease.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas, leading to a lifelong dependence on insulin injections. current treatments manage symptoms but do not address the underlying cause. This new research tackles both aspects: replacing lost islet cells and preventing their future destruction.
The team, led by Dr. Kym Kim at Stanford University, found that creating a hybrid immune system – containing cells from both the donor and the recipient – prevented the recipient’s immune system from attacking the transplanted islet cells. “We need to not only replace the islets that have been lost but also reset the recipient’s immune system to prevent ongoing islet cell destruction,” says Kim. “Creating a hybrid immune system accomplishes both goals.”
In the study, treated mice experienced either prevention or reversal of their diabetes, and crucially, did not develop graft-versus-host disease – a common and often fatal complication of cell transplantation in humans. This success builds on previous work by the same team demonstrating the effectiveness of mixing donor and recipient immune cells in other transplant scenarios, as reported in a 2018 study published in Science Translational Medicine.
Despite the promising results,challenges remain. Islet cells are currently sourced from deceased donors and must be matched to the donor of the blood stem cells. Researchers are also working to determine the optimal number of cells needed for accomplished treatment and exploring methods to increase cell survival or generate them in the lab using pluripotent human stem cells, according to a recent article in Nature.
“The possibility of translating thes findings into humans is very exciting,” Kim stated. “The key steps in our study – which result in animals with a hybrid immune system containing cells from both the donor and the recipient – are already being used in the clinic for other conditions.”
