Transforming Skin Cells To Insulin Producing Beta Cells To Treat Type 1 Diabetes

Credit: Catherine Twomey for The National Academies

Scientists have developed a technique that could replenish insulin producing beta cells using stem cell technology. They used skin cells and transformed them into cells that could secrete insulin. The transformed cells called PPLCs, can mimic early pancreas-like cells that can manufacture insulin.

Early testing shows that the technique is successful.

Type 1 diabetes is disease where the immune system of the body attacks and destroys beta cells in the pancreas. This results in the loss of insulin which is needed to control the blood sugar levels. If left untreated, high sugar levels can be fatal.

There is no cure for diabetes yet but it can be managed with regular glucose monitoring and insulin injections.

Because stem cells have the ability to transform into any type of cell in the body, scientists have high hopes that this may be the key to finding a cure for diabetes and other diseases. This latest discovery is a positive step in finding a permanent cure for type 1 diabetes.

Newly Discovered Hormone, Betatrophin, May Offer More Effective Diabetes Treatment

Harvard Stem Cell Institute co-director Doug Melton (r) and postdoc Peng Yi examine images related to their discovery of betatrophin, a new hormone that is a potential treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Credit: B. D. Colen/Harvard University

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) have recently discovered a new hormone called betatrophin that can lead to a more effective treatment of type 2 diabetes.

In twenty years, diabetes is projected to affect 550 million people all over the world. Currently, it is the number one cause for foot amputations and non-genetic vision impairments.

There are two type of diabetes, Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Although both types are caused by lack of insulin, they differ in how this is caused. Type 1 diabetes is mostly genetic and invoves the immune system attacking beta cells which are responsible for producing insulin. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body rejecting its own insulin or that there is not enough insulin produced by the body. Of the two, 95% of diabetes cases are Type 2 diabetes and the leading cause of Type 2 diabetes is obesity.

Insulin is needed by the body to regulate the blood sugar (glucose) levels of the body. Insulin helps in moving glucose from the blood to cells where it is stored for future use as energy. Without insulin or when there is not enough insulin, glucose remains in the bloodstream. At high levels of glucose, blood vessels start to harden and other complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, and other organ malfunctions arise.

There is no cure for diabetes. The disease can only be managed through glucose monitoring, insulin injections and other medications that help regulate glucose levels.

Closed Loop Insulin Delivery System Improves Glucose Control And Reduces Risk of Hypoglycemia For Diabetics

Closed Loop Insulin Delivery System
Credit: BioMed Central Ltd.

A Closed Loop Insulin Delivery System improved the control of glucose levels and reduced the risk of hypoglycemia compared with conventional pump treatment in a trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Diabetes is a disease where the body has difficulty maintaining glucose levels in the blood. There is a problem with insulin production. Insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose levels. There is either too little insulin produced (or none at all) or that the body is rejecting it.

In type 1 diabetes, the body mistakenly identifies the insulin producing beta cells located in the pancreas as harmful and start attacking it. Because of this, type 1 is identified as an autoimmune disorder. This kind of disorder is hereditary and can be passed down through families.

Diabetes is a life long disease. There is still no cure for it. Despite this, diabetes can be managed. Regular insulin shots are done in lieu of the body's production process.

An important part of managing diabetes is monitoring one's blood glucose levels. Once the levels indicate a higher than normal glucose measurement, an insulin shot will help bring it down. It is important that the blood glucose levels being aimed for are as near normal as possible (that is in the range of those of a person who does not have diabetes).

A recent technology that combines both blood monitoring and insulin delivery is the closed loop insulin delivery system. The device continuously monitors the glucose levels in the blood and when it senses that the levels are too high, it automatically delivers insulin to the body.

Genetic Association on Abnormal Insulin Production Found in Three Genes; TBC1D30, KANK1 and PAM

Effect of insulin on glucose uptake and metabolism. Insulin binds to its receptor (1), which starts many protein activation cascades (2). These include translocation of Glut-4 transporter to the plasma membrane and influx of glucose (3), glycogen synthesis (4), glycolysis (5) and fatty acid synthesis (6).
Source: Wikipedia

Studies show that three genes, TBC1D30, KANK1 and PAM , may have an influence on abnormal insulin production which may predispose people to diabetes.

Insulin is a hormone that brings sugar (glucose) to the cells for energy storage. It is produced by beta cells found in the pancreas.

It is responsible for regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, skeletal muscles, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood.

When insulin fails to do its job, glucose which is supposed to be stored in cells end up in the blood. As this progresses, blood sugar levels start going up leading to complications such as heart attack or kidney failure.

Diabetes is a disease where the insulin in the body is either rejected or too low. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is a disorder where the immune system of the body starts attacking and destroying the insulin producing beta cells.

Type 2 diabetes is when the insulin produced is too low or that the cells start rejecting its own insulin. This is the most popular of the two types and accounts for about 95% of diabetes cases.

Rise In Diabetes Major Cause In Increase Of Visual Impairment Cases For Young People

Studies show that cases of visual impairment not due to need for glasses is significantly increasing because of the rise in type 2 diabetes.

Obesity is a major contributing factor on the rise of type 2 diabetes among young people. For the past few years, steps have been undertaken to control obesity even going as far as increasing the taxes levied on soda and sugar rich food.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes with 95% of diabetes cases. Obesity, physical inactivity and family history of the disease are the three prime causes of the disease. But with the prevalence of diabetes, also comes its underlying effects and consequences such as vision impairment and a weakened immune system.

Type 2 diabetes is an incurable disease where the body starts to reject its own produced insulin. Insulin is needed to control the glucose (blood sugar) levels in the body. Without insulin, complications such as hyperglycemia can occur.

Diabetes Medicine Rosiglitazone Shows Promise For Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Initial studies on the diabetes drug, rosiglitazone, show that the medication may improve memory and cognitive performance of patients with Alzheimer's Disease. Initial lab test on rosiglitazone appears to restore the brain signals needed for proper brain cognition.

Alzheimer's Disease is a condition that affects the patient's brain functions such as memory, thinking, cognition, and psychological behavior. It is a type of dementia that slowly progresses throughout the whole of the brain destroying healthy brain cells.

Alzheimer's disease has no known cure and is caused by protein fragments in the brain called plaques. These plaques form into the alzheimer protein that is responsible for the destruction of healthy brain cells.

Teens Getting Seven Hours Of Sleep Improves Insulin Resistance By 9%

Insulin resistance happens when the body does not respond to its own produced insulin. This form of diabetes is known as Type 2 Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes, on the other hand, is close to an autoimmune disease where the beta-cells producing the insulin are attacked by the body's own immune system.

In both cases of diabetes, insulin is a major factor. Insulin is a hormone and is important to the human body as it helps regulate blood sugar (glucose). It also assists in either using or storing the glucose derived from food.

Aside from regulating glucose levels, insulin also helps in regulating the carbohydrate and fat metabolism of the body. Without insulin, glucose levels can rise which can be toxic to the body. This is condition is called hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia can damage nerves, blood vessels, and other body organs.

To prevent hyperglycemia, diabetics constantly monitor their blood glucose levels.

There are 2 types of diabetes, these are Type 1 and Type 2. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Over 95% of diabetes cases are Type 2 diabetes. The reason being is that Type 1 is primarily a hereditary disease. A Type 1 diabetic is most likely to have acquired it from his or her parent's genes.

There is no cure for diabetes. It can be safely regulated through glucose monitoring, insulin shots, and proper diet and exercise.

Lack of sleep leads to insulin resistance in teens

A new study suggests that increasing the amount of sleep that teenagers get could improve their insulin resistance and prevent the future onset of diabetes.

"High levels of insulin resistance can lead to the development of diabetes," said lead author Karen Matthews, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry. "We found that if teens that normally get six hours of sleep per night get one extra hour of sleep, they would improve insulin resistance by 9 percent."

New Observation On Beta Cells Opens Avenue To New Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

Insulin is a hormone used by the body to regulate glucose levels (blood sugar). The hormone helps the body use or store the blood sugar it gets from food.

Without insulin, the cells are not able to access the calories inside the glucose. Diabetes is a disease where the body has problems in maintaining its glucose levels in the blood. This happens because of one of two things, there is either too little or no insulin produced or that the body is resisting the insulin

Insulin is produced by the pancreas. When the pancreas stops making insulin, this is known as Type 1 diabetes. This means that beta cells, cells in the pancreas that stores and releases insulin in the body, are not functioning properly or has been destroyed. Generally, Type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune disorder because the immune system mistakes the beta cells as harmful and start attacking it.

Type 2 diabetes is caused when the body does not respond to its own insulin. This is known as insulin resistance. Around 95% of people who suffer diabetes are Type 2 diabetes. This can be acquired, in addition of it being a hereditary condition, through obesity.

Study explains decrease in insulin-producing beta cells in diabetes

Scientists generally think that reduced insulin production by the pancreas, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, is due to the death of the organ's beta cells. However, a new study by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers shows that beta cells do not die but instead revert to a more fundamental, undifferentiated cell type. The findings suggest that strategies to prevent beta cells from de-differentiating, or to coax them to re-differentiate, might improve glucose balance in patients with type 2 diabetes. The study, conducted in mice was published today in the online edition of the journal Cell.

"The prevailing theory is that the death of beta cells is responsible for the decline in insulin production in type 2 diabetes," said study leader Domenico Accili, MD, professor of Medicine and the Russell Berrie Foundation Professor at CUMC. "But when you look at a diabetic pancreas, you find very few, if any, dead beta cells. So, the organ dysfunction is out of proportion with the number of dead cells. Nobody has had a plausible explanation for this."

Diabetes Drug, Pioglitazone, May Cause Bladder Cancer

Diabetes is a disease where the body has an excess amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood stream. This has to do with how insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates glucose levels, is treated by the body.

There are generally two kinds of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. In type 1 diabetes, the body produces little or no insulin to control blood sugar. With type 2, the body does not respond or resist the insulin produced.

Of the two, type 2 diabetes is the most common. 95% of diabetes cases in adults are of this type. It is associated with obesity, physical inactivity, and having a family history of diabetes.

With type 2 diabetes, the body has insulin resistance. Organs and tissues in the body such as the fat, liver, and muscle cells do not respond correctly to insulin. Insulin is needed to move glucose into cells, where it is stored and later used for energy. Without this process, the glucose starts to build up to high levels in the blood. This is called hyperglycemia.

If left untreated, hyperglycemia can cause damage to nerves, blood vessels, and other body organs. Chronic hyperglycemia injures the heart, even in patients without a history of heart disease or diabetes. It is also strongly associated with heart attacks and death in subjects with no coronary heart disease or history of heart failure.

There is no cure for diabetes and constant medication and insulin shots are required to keep the disease in check.

Some diabetes drugs may increase risk of bladder cancer

An increased risk of bladder cancer is linked to the use of pioglitazone, a medication commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of several types of cancer, including a 40% increased risk of bladder cancer, compared to people without diabetes. Previous studies have shown a higher incidence of bladder cancer in people taking pioglitazone, a type of thiazolidinedione.

Aggressive Glucose Regulation in Prediabetics Lowers Risk of Diabetes

When blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes, this condition is called "Prediabetes".

Pre-diabetic people may be susceptible to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease or a stroke. Prediabetes has no symptoms. There are warning signs (see video) but a medical blood test can check blood glucose levels to ascertain if a person has the condition or not.

Doctors recommend a healthy diet, weight loss (for obese people) and being physically active at least half an hour a day to avoid becoming prediabetic.

Aggressive glucose-lowering treatments aimed at achieving normal glucose levels in prediabetes

People with "prediabetes" (a high risk state for overt type 2 diabetes) who experience a period of normal glucose regulation are 56% less likely to develop diabetes 5∙7 years later, according to a new research Article presented at the American Diabetes Association 72nd Scientific Sessions on Saturday 9 June, and published Online First in The Lancet. This is one of four Articles (all presented at the American Diabetes Association 72nd Scientific Sessions) and a Series of three papers that are part of a special Lancet theme issue on diabetes.

The findings may have significant implications for diabetes prevention strategies, suggesting that early and aggressive glucose-lowering treatment in people at the highest risk of the disease could be an effective way of reducing progression to diabetes.

Research Into Better Treatments For Obesity Induced Diabetes

Obesity is a disease that can be defined as an excess of body fat that is enough to impair health, welfare and quality of life.

Being obese means a person has too much body fat. This occurs when a person takes in more calories than the body can burn. The unused calories are then stored by the body as fat.

Obesity is not to be confused with being overweight. Being overweight, which is also unhealthy for anyone, does not necessarily mean that the person has too much fat. An overweight person may be so because of extra muscles, heavier bones, or extra water in his system.

Obesity-induced insulin resistance is a major factor in the etiology of type 2 diabetes, and the prevalence of these disorders is rising globally at epidemic rates. In recent years, chronic low-grade inflammation has emerged as an important contributor to the development of insulin resistance.

Improving obesity-induced insulin sensitivity

In recent years, a growing body of evidence has linked inflammation to the development of insulin resistance. In insulin resistance, the hormone insulin is less effective in promoting glucose uptake from the bloodstream into other tissues. Obesity is a major factor that contributes to insulin resistance, which can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have shown that proinflammatory molecules found in fat tissue decreases sensitivity of tissues to insulin.

Exposure To Phthalates Such as Those Found In Plastic Bottles and Cosmetics Doubles Risk of Acquiring Type 2 Diabetes

Phthalates are esters (a chemical compound) of phthalic acid. These are usually used as plasticizers (an extender or substance added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity). They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Phthalates are being phased out of many products in various countries such as the United States, Canada, and the European Union because of health concerns. Despite this step, many organizations have reported on the safety of phthalates and its long history of use.

Phthalates can be found and are used in a large variety of products such as pharmaceutical pills, lubricants, and gelling agents. They are also used in common items such as adhesives and glues, electronics, personal care products, cosmetics, detergents, food and even in children's toys.

A concern about phthalates is that they are easily released into the surrounding environment. As plastics age and break down, the release of phthalates accelerates. People are commonly exposed to phthalates, and most Americans tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have metabolites of multiple phthalates in their urine. Because phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to PVC, they can easily leach and evaporate into food or the atmosphere.

High levels of phthalates can lead to greater risk for type-2 diabetes

There is a connection between phthalates found in cosmetics and plastics and the risk of developing diabetes among seniors. Even at a modest increase in circulating phthalate levels, the risk of diabetes is doubled. This conclusion is drawn by researchers at Uppsala University in a study published in the journal Diabetes Care.

New Study on the Development of Gestational Diabetes

Pregnancy hormones can block insulin from performing its function. When this happens, sugar or glucose levels may increase in a pregnant woman's blood and high blood sugar occurs. This condition is called Gestational Diabetes. The woman does not have to be previously diagnosed with diabetes to exhibit high blood glucose levels.

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are typically at increased risk of problems such as being large for gestational age (which may lead to delivery complications), low blood sugar, and jaundice. Gestational diabetes is a treatable condition and women who have adequate control of glucose levels can effectively decrease these risks.

Treatment of pregnant women with gestational diabetes focuses on keeping blood sugar at normal levels through diet and exercise and to make sure that the growing baby is healthy. In most cases, there will be no need for diabetes medicine or insulin.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have identified a cell-signaling pathway that plays a key role in increasing insulin secretion during pregnancy and, when blocked, leads to the development of gestational diabetes. Their findings are available online today in Diabetes, one of the journals of the American Diabetes Association.

During pregnancy, pancreatic beta cells should expand and produce more insulin to adapt to the needs of the growing baby, explained senior investigator Adolfo Garcia-Ocana, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Pitt School of Medicine. Newborns can suffer complications if the mother's blood glucose is abnormally high during pregnancy.

New Study In Treating Type 1 Diabetes Involving Insulin Producing Intestinal Cells

Veering away from stem cells, a new study by Columbia researchers suggests that cells in the patient's intestine could be coaxed into making insulin, circumventing the need for a stem cell transplant. Until now, stem cell transplants have been seen by many researchers as the ideal way to replace cells lost in type I diabetes and to free patients from insulin injections.

Previous research has shown that the use of stem cell technology can someday address the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. Though researchers can make insulin-producing cells in the laboratory from embryonic stem cells, such cells are not yet appropriate for transplant because they do not release insulin appropriately in response to glucose levels.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's own immune system attacking its pancreatic islet beta cells and requires daily injections of insulin to regulate the patient's blood glucose levels. As noted in earlier articles, Insulin is a hormone that stops the use of fat as an energy source. It regulates the carbohydrate and fat metabolism of the body and cause cells in the liver, muscle and fat tissue to take glucose from the blood. Glucose when unregulated can be toxic. At low levels the body begins to break down the glycogen stored in the liver and muscles into glucose which is used as an energy source.

Patients with type 1 diabetes depend on external insulin for their survival because the hormone is no longer produced internally by the pancreas.

The new research involving gut cells —conducted in mice— was published in the journal Nature Genetics.

A longstanding goal of type I diabetes research is to replace lost cells with new cells that release insulin into the bloodstream as needed. Though researchers can make insulin-producing cells in the laboratory from embryonic stem cells, such cells are not yet appropriate for transplant because they do not release insulin appropriately in response to glucose levels. If these cells were introduced into a patient, insulin would be secreted when not needed, potentially causing fatal hypoglycemia.

The study, conducted by Chutima Talchai, PhD, and Domenico Accili, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, shows that certain progenitor cells in the intestine of mice have the surprising ability to make insulin-producing cells. Dr. Talchai is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Accili's lab.