Apply stem cell therapy to cure diabetes

An international team of researchers used stem cells taken from the blood of sugar-poor patients to help them no longer depend on insulin-containing drugs. Scientists say the study could help cure type 1 diabetes, also known as teen diabetes. There are millions of people suffering from this disease and every day they have to inject insulin.

Adolescent diabetes accounts for 5-10% of diabetics. It is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to attack the pancreas, an insulin-producing cell organ that helps regulate blood sugar.

When the pancreas does not function properly and is unable to control blood sugar levels, it can cause serious complications such as blindness and kidney failure.

According to experts, until the discovery of type 1 diabetes, more than half of insulin production cells have been destroyed.

Hoping to save the surviving cells, US and Brazilian researchers conducted a study in which they used high doses of drugs to suppress the immune system of 15 patients and then transmitting stem cells taken from the blood of these patients into the patient's own body.

(Photo: howstuffworks) The purpose of this study is to re-program a faulty immune system to stop its attack.

Richard Burt of Northwestern University in Chicago, co-author of the study, said that as of February there was a total patient who had not taken insulin for 35 months, four patients who did not use insulin for at least 21 months and and 7 patients did not take insulin for at least 6 months. Two patients responded slowly and did not take insulin for 1 and 5 months.

Mr. Burt said these are remarkable results.

He said: 'This is the first time in the history of diabetes, patients have a period of up to 3 years and may be much longer without treatment, without insulin, without immunosuppression. and also do not take medicine ".

The study was conducted in Brazil and its results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Kim is a teenager with type 1 diabetes. He said: 'I have to think about it all the time, such as when I will eat the next meal, where I will go and if I need to bring the device Blood test or not, I have to give myself as many insulin injections and more. ' Kim also said she wished to know how she did not have diabetes.

Although this is only a small study, according to observers, the study may be one of the first attempts to find a therapy to help people with diabetes no longer depend on it. insulin injections too.

Hong Linh