Cell Transplant for Type 1 Diabetes Treatment: A New Breakthrough Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have achieved complete prevention or cure of type 1 diabetes in mice through a combination of hematopoietic stem cell and pancreatic cell transplantation. The study results are published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI). The new immune system, formed from a combination of cells from both the donor and the recipient, successfully halted the autoimmune attack on insulin-producing cells. This led to a sustained restoration of normal blood sugar levels without the need for insulin or immunosuppressants. To prepare the body for the transplant, the scientists used a gentle regimen that included a combination of antibodies, low-dose irradiation, and a drug used to treat autoimmune diseases. This protocol is already partially used in clinical practice, which increases the chances of successful adaptation of the method for humans. The method proved effective in all 19 mice where the development of diabetes was prevented, as well as in all nine mice with an existing, severe form of the disease. The researchers believe that this method of “rebooting” the immune system could be a breakthrough not only in treating type 1 diabetes but also in the therapy for other autoimmune diseases and in the safe transplantation of organs from partially incompatible donors.
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