Cancer Breakthrough Offers New Hope for Type 1 Diabetes Treatment
Rochester, MN – A surprising finding originating from cancer research at the Mayo Clinic is now paving the way for potential new treatments for type 1 diabetes.Scientists have identified a sugar molecule that cancer cells utilize to evade the immune system, adn remarkably, this same molecule shows promise in protecting vital insulin-producing cells in type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition affecting an estimated 1.3 million Americans, occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the body’s pancreatic beta cells, which are responsible for insulin production.
In a groundbreaking study,a Mayo clinic research team,led by immunology researcher dr. Virginia Shapiro, Ph.D.,has effectively “repurposed” a cancer defense mechanism. Cancer cells ofen employ a sugar molecule called sialic acid to mask themselves from immune surveillance. The Mayo Clinic team has demonstrated in preclinical models that by coating beta cells with this same sialic acid, they can induce immune tolerance, preventing the immune system from attacking these crucial cells.
“Our findings show that it’s possible to engineer beta cells that do not prompt an immune response,” stated Dr.Shapiro, the principal investigator of the study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Previously,Dr. Shapiro’s team had identified an enzyme, ST8Sia6, which increases sialic acid on the surface of tumor cells, making them appear less foreign to the immune system.”The expression of this enzyme basically ‘sugar coats’ cancer cells and can help protect an abnormal cell from a normal immune response,” Dr.Shapiro explained.”We wondered if the same enzyme might also protect a normal cell from an abnormal immune response.”
The current research built upon this concept, focusing on preclinical models that spontaneously develop autoimmune diabetes, closely mimicking the human disease.By engineering beta cells in these models to produce the ST8Sia6 enzyme,the researchers observed a remarkable 90% effectiveness in preventing the onset of type 1 diabetes. The beta cells, which are typically destroyed in the disease, were successfully preserved.
Crucially, the study also revealed that the immune response to these engineered cells is highly specific. Justin Choe, an M.D.-Ph.D. student and the study’s first author, noted, “Though the beta cells were spared, the immune system remained intact.” The researchers observed active B- and T-cells and evidence of an autoimmune response against other disease processes, indicating that the enzyme specifically generated tolerance against the autoimmune rejection of beta cells, offering localized and precise protection.
Currently, there is no cure for type 1 diabetes. Management involves synthetic insulin or, in certain specific cases, pancreatic islet cell transplantation.However, transplantation necessitates broad immunosuppression, which carries its own risks. Dr. Shapiro’s ultimate goal is to explore the use of these engineered beta cells in transplantable islet cells, aiming to eliminate the need for systemic immunosuppression and significantly improve therapeutic outcomes for patients.
“A goal woudl be to provide transplantable cells without the need for immunosuppression,” Dr. Shapiro concluded. “Though we’re still in the early stages, this study might potentially be…”