A new choice for patients with type 2 diabetes-stem cell therapy
2020-07-30
The incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has shown a "flammable" increase. It has reached 9.7% in China, and the total number of diseases may have exceeded 120 million. It is estimated that by 2045, the number of diabetic patients in the world may reach 629 million. In addition, it can also induce peripheral vascular disease, neurological disease, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, kidney disease, etc., and its complications can involve various tissues and organs throughout the body, seriously increasing social medical pressure and family economic burden.
The pathology of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is more complicated than that of type 1 diabetes, mainly due to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and varying degrees of insulin resistance, resulting in the inability to maintain blood glucose homeostasis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the characteristics of multidirectional differentiation potential, low immunogenicity, immune regulation, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, and are considered to be ideal cells for the treatment of diabetes among all types of stem cells.
Studies have found that MSCs can improve islet function in many ways, including but not limited to:
① Lateral differentiation into pancreatic β cells;
②Improve the islet circulation and promote the regeneration of the original islet β cells;
③Protect endogenous pancreatic β cells from apoptosis;
④External pancreatic hypoglycemic effect, MSC can differentiate into insulin secreting cells in other tissues in the body to reduce blood glucose;
⑤Reducing insulin resistance;
Many animal experiments at home and abroad have proved that MSCs can treat T2DM, increase the secretion of insulin and C-peptide, and enhance the body's sensitivity to insulin. Clinical studies have also shown good treatment performance of MSCs.
A clinical trial performed umbilical cord MSCs infusion treatment on 18 patients with T2DM. The results showed that it effectively reduced fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose, and no serious adverse reactions were found. After 6 months of follow-up observation, all 18 patients felt that their general physical condition was significantly improved and their quality of life improved.
Another research team transplanted placental-derived MSCs in 10 patients with T2DM, and tracked down that the patients’ renal function and heart function were improved, and the average daily dose of insulin was reduced.
From the perspective of clinical application, the treatment of type 2 diabetes with MSCs will be a brand new treatment. At present, more and larger cohort studies are underway, and the clinical effects of stem cell treatment of type 2 diabetes will be further demonstrated.
