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New cell transplantation technique restores insulin production in diabetics
By Maureen Morley
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Researchers are using a new cell transplantation technique to restore the cells that produce
insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes. The method is minimally invasive,
with few complications. The study was presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North
America (RSNA).
"We used ultrasound guidance to inject donor cells into the portal vein of diabetic patients, which is accessed
through the skin," said co-author Saravanan Krishnamoorthy, M.D., radiology resident at the University of Minnesota
in Minneapolis. "This is a safe method of cell transplantation that could potentially become a same-day
procedure."
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GOOGLE ADSENSE In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin.
This typically results from the destruction of insulin-producing islet beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin is
necessary to metabolize sugar, which is the basic fuel that all cells need.
With this minimally invasive technique, donor islet cells are injected into diabetic patients so that the new,
healthy islet cells can restore insulin production, essentially stopping the progression of the disease. The study
included 13 patients with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes. Fifteen islet cell transplants were completed-two
patients underwent two procedures to achieve correct needle placement.
"We used a steroid-free protocol to suppress the immune system, so that the body accepted the transplanted cells,"
Dr. Krishnamoorthy said. "We also developed a 'sandwich technique' to close the access site through the skin, where
the islet cells are injected. The sandwich technique is so-called because of the layered applications of gelfoam
and coil used to close the access site."
Dr. Krishnamoorthy said that even though percutaneous islet cell transplantation is currently an experimental
procedure, the sandwich closure is a safe method that prevents many of the complications common to previous
techniques used to transplant islet cells. Thirty days after the procedure, all 13 patients were producing insulin
without requiring supplemental injections, and none experienced major complications. Liver function tests and blood
cell counts were monitored carefully during this time.
In the future, Dr. Krishnamoorthy looks toward the potential use of stem cells for this purpose, and also the
development of better immunosuppressive medications to keep the body from rejecting the transplanted islet
cells.
Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is a debilitating disease that is usually diagnosed in
children and young adults. It can result in significant morbidity, causing vision loss, loss of sensation that
results in severe infections, fractures and amputations, destruction of major organ function (e.g., the kidneys)
and cardiovascular disease that can result in complications such as heart attacks. Both genetic and environmental
factors contribute to the disease.
Maureen Morley
mmorley@rsna.org
Radiological Society of North
America
http://www.rsna.org
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