Now, there’s stem cell hope for diabetics

If the WHO’s warning that India is poised to become the diabetes capital of the world has got us worried, here is news that could prove...

If the WHO’s warning that India is poised to become the diabetes capital of the world has got us worried, here is news that could prove to be sweet for those battling diabetes: research and animal tests at the Pune-based National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) has established that regenerated stem cells could be used to treat the disease.

This finding is of immense clinical significance as it advocates the use of bone marrow transplant as an alternative therapy.

In their paper titled, Reversal of experimental diabetes by multiple bone marrow transplantation, published in the January 7 issue of Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (BBRC), USA, Ramesh Bhonde, Meenal Banerjee and Anil Kumar have investigated the status of bone marrow stem cells in experimental-diabetic mice and demonstrated the reversal of experimental diabetes by multiple bone marrow transplants. Bhonde, who is to leave for San Francisco for the annual meet of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, explained the procedure.

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• Streptozotocin was injected in 50-60 mice. Within a week their blood sugar levels shot up and showed classical symptoms of diabetes including weight loss;

• To find out if stem cells gave birth to insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, bone marrow stem cells were taken from the siblings of the mice and injected into the experimental-diabetic mice.

The results were encouraging. A single injection of one million bone marrow stem cells in the diabetic mice resulted in reduction and stabilisation of moderate hyperglycemia (a condition leading to increased glucose levels in blood).

What’s more, multiple injections (the critical mass of three million bone marrow stem cells) at regular intervals led to the restoration of stabilised normogylcemia (normal glocose levels in blood) during a 30-day follow up. Ultimately, diabetes was reversed.

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A meeting of haematologists, clinicians, basic scientists and others will be held at Vellore on June 29 and 30 to discuss the findings and chalk out the future course of action before launching further clinical trials.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More

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