A new way to treat type 1 diabetes. Lets you live normally

In people with type 1 diabetesThe autoimmune reaction attacks the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. This leads to large fluctuations in blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes is treatable, and although it requires close monitoring and medication, it is a temporary solution. The best option is transplant Islands of LangerhansBut it’s not always successful, and it requires patients to take life-long immunosuppressive medication.

A team of scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in collaboration with scientists from Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a new biomaterial that, when mixed with islets of Langerhans, allows them to survive transplantation. Without the need for long-term immunosuppression.

Innovative biomaterials It contains a protein called SA-FasLWhich enhances immune tolerance and adheres to the surface of the microgel beads. The substance was mixed with carrots and then transplanted into a modified pouch made up of the large intestine – a fold of fatty tissue that hangs from the stomach and covers the intestine. After transplantation, the animals received a single dose for three months rapamycin Medication to prevent transplant rejection.

Dr. Jie Li, immunologist at MGH, said: “Our strategy of creating an immune-privileged microenvironment allowed the islets to survive long-term immunosuppression and achieve good blood glucose control in all diabetic primates over a period of time. The study, which lasted six months. and assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School.

Islet of Langerhans transplantation in the large intestine It has many advantages over the current clinical approach Liver transplant. Primate studies are an important preclinical animal model. For now, there is no doubt about human testing.

“We believe that our approach allows transplants to survive and control diabetes for more than six months without the use of anti-rejection drugs, as surgical removal of transplanted tissue at the end of the study resulted in all animals recovering quickly from diabetes,” added Dr. J. for me.