Breakthrough in diabetes research

[Necromagus]

In mice. Way to go Canada!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canada.com[/url]":34p674wl]

 

 

 

Diabetes breakthrough

 

 

 

Toronto scientists cure disease in mice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom Blackwell, National Post

 

 

 

Published: Friday, December 15, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at a Toronto hospital say they have proof the body's nervous system helps trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the disease that affects millions of Canadians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diabetic mice became healthy virtually overnight after researchers injected a substance to counteract the effect of malfunctioning pain neurons in the pancreas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I couldn't believe it," said Dr. Michael Salter, a pain expert at the Hospital for Sick Children and one of the scientists. "Mice with diabetes suddenly didn't have diabetes any more."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The researchers caution they have yet to confirm their findings in people, but say they expect results from human studies within a year or so. Any treatment that may emerge to help at least some patients would likely be years away from hitting the market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the excitement of the team from Sick Kids, whose work is being published today in the journal Cell, is almost palpable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I've never seen anything like it," said Dr. Hans Michael Dosch, an immunologist at the hospital and a leader of the studies. "In my career, this is unique."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their conclusions upset conventional wisdom that Type 1 diabetes, the most serious form of the illness that typically first appears in childhood, was solely caused by auto-immune responses -- the body's immune system turning on itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also conclude that there are far more similarities than previously thought between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and that nerves likely play a role in other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as asthma and Crohn's disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "paradigm-changing" study opens "a novel, exciting door to address one of the diseases with large societal impact," said Dr. Christian Stohler, a leading U.S. pain specialist and dean of dentistry at the University of Maryland, who has reviewed the work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The treatment and diagnosis of neuropathic diseases is poised to take a dramatic leap forward because of the impressive research."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About two million Canadians suffer from diabetes, 10% of them with Type 1, contributing to 41,000 deaths a year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insulin replacement therapy is the only treatment of Type 1, and cannot prevent many of the side effects, from heart attacks to kidney failure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to shift glucose into the cells that need it. In Type 2 diabetes, the insulin that is produced is not used effectively -- something called insulin resistance -- also resulting in poor absorption of glucose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The problems stem partly from inflammation -- and eventual death -- of insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Dosch had concluded in a 1999 paper that there were surprising similarities between diabetes and multiple sclerosis, a central nervous system disease. His interest was also piqued by the presence around the insulin-producing islets of an "enormous" number of nerves, pain neurons primarily used to signal the brain that tissue has been damaged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suspecting a link between the nerves and diabetes, he and Dr. Salter used an old experimental trick -- injecting capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot chili peppers, to kill the pancreatic sensory nerves in mice that had an equivalent of Type 1 diabetes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Then we had the biggest shock of our lives," Dr. Dosch said. Almost immediately, the islets began producing insulin normally "It was a shock ? really out of left field, because nothing in the literature was saying anything about this."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It turns out the nerves secrete neuropeptides that are instrumental in the proper functioning of the islets. Further study by the team, which also involved the University of Calgary and the Jackson Laboratory in Maine, found that the nerves in diabetic mice were releasing too little of the neuropeptides, resulting in a "vicious cycle" of stress on the islets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So next they injected the neuropeptide "substance P" in the pancreases of diabetic mice, a demanding task given the tiny size of the rodent organs. The results were dramatic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The islet inflammation cleared up and the diabetes was gone. Some have remained in that state for as long as four months, with just one injection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also discovered that their treatments curbed the insulin resistance that is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, and that insulin resistance is a major factor in Type 1 diabetes, suggesting the two illnesses are quite similar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While pain scientists have been receptive to the research, immunologists have voiced skepticism at the idea of the nervous system playing such a major role in the disease. Editors of Cell put the Toronto researchers through vigorous review to prove the validity of their conclusions, though an editorial in the publication gives a positive review of the work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It will no doubt cause a great deal of consternation," said Dr. Salter about his paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The researchers are now setting out to confirm that the connection between sensory nerves and diabetes holds true in humans. If it does, they will see if their treatments have the same effects on people as they did on mice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing is for sure, but "there is a great deal of promise," Dr. Salter said.

 

 

 

[zach312]

If that works for people....holy [cabbage], my best friend's life just got a LOT easier. [sarcasm]Canada did something useful! :shock: [/sarcasm]

[bloodkilla87]

Ya exactly, it works on mice.

 

 

 

Its like the male birth control thing, you can get a needle in your stomache. And like kevin rose said on diggnation, how do you know what the mice are feeling, what if his penis is on fire :-s

[Tigra00]

Ya exactly, it works on mice.

 

 

 

Its like the male birth control thing, you can get a needle in your stomache. And like kevin rose said on diggnation, how do you know what the mice are feeling, what if his [bleep] is on fire :-s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's the principle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder how many diseases have been cured via mice as research, yet people still say "So? It's a freakin' mouse!"

[vladmoney]

I just hope this isn't one those twisted truths that they publish to get more gov't funding, cause there is a lot of those these days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway I hope this is true!

[rushrock]

Canadians know everything! That's why I love them!!! :

[Itsjustagame]

for all we know, the rats got some other disease, or something go messed up internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists release info too sporadically now, we'll probably be let down

[Bloodredsword]

for all we know, the rats got some other disease, or something go messed up internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists release info too sporadically now, we'll probably be let down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

you have a point...but still..hopefully we won't

[rushrock]

for all we know, the rats got some other disease, or something go messed up internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists release info too sporadically now, we'll probably be let down

 

 

 

Pessimist. :roll:

[weezcake]

Things like this make me glad I'm a science major.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rats are very genetically similar to humans. They also reproduce very quickly. This is why scientists use mice in lab tests, if anyone was wondering. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

for all we know, the rats got some other disease, or something go messed up internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists release info too sporadically now, we'll probably be let down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists always release their findings after they find something unusual. This allows other scientists to try the same and check the results. And for debate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I say it's the news/media that reports prematurely, not the scientists. :wink:

[Itsjustagame]

Things like this make me glad I'm a science major.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rats are very genetically similar to humans. They also reproduce very quickly. This is why scientists use mice in lab tests, if anyone was wondering. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

for all we know, the rats got some other disease, or something go messed up internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists release info too sporadically now, we'll probably be let down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists always release their findings after they find something unusual. This allows other scientists to try the same and check the results. And for debate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I say it's the news/media that reports prematurely, not the scientists. :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

well I cant spell that T word...Tooshay...touche...yeah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

so I'll just say, good find soldier!

[Tigra00]

 

Things like this make me glad I'm a science major.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rats are very genetically similar to humans. They also reproduce very quickly. This is why scientists use mice in lab tests, if anyone was wondering. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

for all we know, the rats got some other disease, or something go messed up internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists release info too sporadically now, we'll probably be let down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists always release their findings after they find something unusual. This allows other scientists to try the same and check the results. And for debate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I say it's the news/media that reports prematurely, not the scientists. :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

well I cant spell that T word...Tooshay...touche...yeah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

so I'll just say, good find soldier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THOU MUST USE THE SQUIGGLEY E!

[Itsjustagame]

 

 

Things like this make me glad I'm a science major.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rats are very genetically similar to humans. They also reproduce very quickly. This is why scientists use mice in lab tests, if anyone was wondering. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

for all we know, the rats got some other disease, or something go messed up internally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists release info too sporadically now, we'll probably be let down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists always release their findings after they find something unusual. This allows other scientists to try the same and check the results. And for debate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I say it's the news/media that reports prematurely, not the scientists. :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

well I cant spell that T word...Tooshay...touche...yeah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

so I'll just say, good find soldier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THOU MUST USE THE SQUIGGLEY E!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMAGAWD!?!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So it's spelled that way? with the goofy e?

[Tigra00]

Yes, but don't call him that to his face. He's sensitive.

[dusqi]

I looked up the journal article in Cell. Sadly I have no understanding of cell biology, so most of it went far over my head... but what I did generally get from the article and the editorial about the article is that; a) they're a lot more cautious than the press article makes out B) there are lots of types of diabetes, including a mix between type 1 and type 2 that doesn't seem to make sense if the cause of type 1 is purely as presented c) this idea wasn't completely out of nowhere, as the press article tends to suggest (because they have to sensationalise), there was still research that went before it, and led to it (it's boring to report progress that happens only with tiny steps forwards - like most scientific progress is).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After reading slashdot, I have found that for any media report about new scientific discoveries, it is worth going directly to the journal source to see what it's really about... even if you don't really understand most of the language, you can get a general feel for its promise.