Diabetes is a chronic condition that currently has no cure. People with severe diabetes often rely on insulin injections for management. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have shown promise as a potential treatment for diabetes patients.
There are three main types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes: Typically diagnosed in children and young adults, this type occurs when the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Type 2 diabetes: The most common type, often associated with obesity and sedentary lifestyle.
Gestational diabetes: Occurs during pregnancy and may resolve after childbirth.
Research in Type 1 Diabetes
A 2013 study from China examined a group of Type 1 diabetes patients under the age of 25. The average age of participants was around 17-18 years old. These patients had been diagnosed with diabetes for no more than 6 months and had maintained stable blood sugar levels and insulin usage for approximately 1 month. Data showed that the patients had good control of their blood sugar levels, with an HbA1c below 7.
The study participants were divided into two groups, totaling 29 individuals. Fifteen patients received Mesenchymal Stem Cells derived from umbilical cord tissue. Each patient received approximately 15-30 million cells in two separate administrations, four weeks apart.
The other group served as the control group and received only intravenous saline.
After treatment, both groups were required to maintain fasting blood sugar levels between 70-110 mg% and postprandial blood sugar levels below 140 mg% through insulin therapy. Patients were then followed up for 2 years, during which C-peptide levels, a marker of pancreatic beta cell function, were measured.
No adverse effects related to Mesenchymal Stem Cells were observed in this study. However, anti-HLA testing, which assesses tissue incompatibility reactions, was not performed.
After 24 months of follow-up, patients who received Mesenchymal Stem Cells showed a significant decrease in both fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels. The beneficial effects of the treatment were observed as early as 3 months after receiving the stem cells.
Hemoglobin A1c levels, a measure of long-term blood sugar control, also improved throughout the 2-year follow-up period. Additionally, C-peptide levels, which reflect pancreatic beta cell function, showed improvement in the stem cell group, indicating enhanced insulin production.
Insulin requirements, another marker of pancreatic function, decreased significantly in the stem cell group over the 24-month follow-up period.
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