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JDRF funded research shows promise for preventing and reversing type 1 diabetes
JDRF funded researchers at the University of California have reported that two common cancer drugs have been used to block and reverse type 1 diabetes in mice.
The findings of the study, published in ‘The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science,’ suggest that these two drugs may provide a new approach to treatment for new onset type 1 diabetes.
The researchers used Imatinib and Sunitinib (which are marketed as Gleevec and Sutent respectively) to treat mice that are genetically engineered to be more susceptible to developing type 1 diabetes. These drugs both act by blocking a family of enzymes, called tyrosine kinases, that modify cellular signals and trigger growth. These enzymes are thought to play an important role in a number of diseases, from cancer to autoimmune conditions like type 1 diabetes. The JDRF funded team, led by Dr Jeffrey Bluestone, believes that tyrosine kinases may regulate the immune system, and therefore have a role in the autoimmune attack that destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas and leads to type 1 diabetes.
The researchers looked at two scenarios. In the first, they treated susceptible mice with the drugs before they had developed diabetes. They found that treatment prevented the onset of the disease, and that this effect extended past the end of the seven-week course of treatment.
In the second scenario they gave the drugs to mice that had already developed the condition. They showed that after two months of treatment, 80 percent of the mice no longer had diabetes.
JDRF Chief Executive Karen Addington said: “This is an exciting study which demonstrates the potential for developing new treatments to halt the autoimmune attack that causes type 1 diabetes. However, this research is in its early stages and we look forward to further developments.”
Story from JDRF
Published on this website on Thu, 04 Nov 2010