[KickStart101]

.......For Type 1's If Not Already Mentioned.


Canadian scientists reverse diabetes in mice

[Phranky]

Wow - this is very interesting.

This article from the Globe and Mail - Toronto

-----------------------

Canadian researchers make diabetes discovery
Canadian Press

Toronto — Canadian researchers have found that abnormalities in pain-related nerve endings in the pancreatic cells that produce insulin appear to play a role in the development of Type 1 diabetes.

The scientists say the discovery could not only lead to new treatments for the disease, but point the way to preventing it completely.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that affects about 200,000 Canadians, and research has focused on the immune system as the sole trigger of the disease.

But in studies of mice that are prone to diabetes, researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Calgary found an unsuspected control circuit between insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and their associated sensory, or pain, nerves.

Dr. Dosch says his lab is planning to begin studies in people with a family history of diabetes to see if they have abnormal pain sensitivity that might contribute to the development of diabetes.

The study will be published in this week's edition of the journal Cell.

[Diabetic-Canada]

Another article on the same discovery from the National Post... I found it quite interesting, and I hope it works out..although it seems quite random how they discovered it and how it works...


Diabetes breakthrough
Toronto scientists cure disease in mice

Tom Blackwell
National Post


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.


© National Post 2006

[KickStart101]

Hey D-C:

Well, as you know many good discoveries were found
by accident. What difference? As long as they were
discovered. They are beginning with it next month(Jan/07)
and the Human Trials will be in 2 yrs., maybe less.

I noticed Phranky and I hit the same topic. WTG Phranky.
This one can be deleted. Sorry, I didn't have time earlier
to read up since I had to get the roast, etc. ready, so I just
popped in to post it.

[jzblondie]

I swear to God my friend who works in a hospital just texted me this news, and I am floored. I don't even know what to do now, besides run around my office and tell everybody I can think of. Read the article and cross your fingers!!!

~Julianne

Diabetes breakthrough
Toronto scientists cure disease in mice

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....


Diabetes breakthrough

[RemJet]

I just heard the great news too!

sounds incredible! can't wait to see what further research brings

[duck]

You **** Canadians think you are sooooo bad now that you are making all these discoveries about diabetes, eh? Boy, I bet if we let this go unchecked, the next thing will be that you people will claim to have discovered insulin...







:smartass:


Keep the big discoveries coming!

[KickStart101]

I was listening to the news and I probably heard this wrong
but I thought they just said that Human "treatment" could be
available in 2 yrs. I don't know how they coul everything
accomplished by then.

Originally Posted by duck

You **** Canadians think you are sooooo bad now that you are making all these discoveries about diabetes, eh? Boy, I bet if we let this go unchecked, the next thing will be that you people will claim to have discovered insulin...
:smartass:
Keep the big discoveries coming!

Oh don't worry Duck. We'd Never make such false claims.
I just hope that this is "The One".


*will do Boss.

[Nada]

Wow! Cool stuff.

[Dan Gato]

Good news.
I hope they persue the research & then develop it.
Here in the USA it'll take years for the FDA to give the final approval.
Thanks for sharing the news

[singer]

If I understand correctly, it will only help newly diagnosed patients, not those of us whose islet cell production is already destroyed.

Sing

[duck]

Originally Posted by singer

If I understand correctly, it will only help newly diagnosed patients, not those of us whose islet cell production is already destroyed.

Sing

That which helps one helps us all.

[RemJet]

well considering its a known fact that islet cell production continues throughout an entire lifetime of diabetes (its just supressed by the immune system (or possible nervous system)), I beleive that this could be a possible cure to end-stage diabetes.

[KickStart101]

Originally Posted by singer

If I understand correctly, it will only help newly diagnosed patients, not those of us whose islet cell production is already destroyed.
Sing

Is that a fact? Where did you see/hear that? Sorry, I missed
that one. It is normal to leave important info out sometimes
when news/breakthroughs first get announced. That's too bad
if it's true.

On the other hand, that would still get this disease out of so
many Kids/Teens and more mature Peoples lives. That would
mean my Kids and theirs, the rest of my Family and Friend's
Families and yours wouldn't have to worry about living with
or dying (not a nice way to go usually)because of Diabetes,
if they were dxd.

I can vaguely remember not being a Diabetic but since I've had
it so long I honestly don't know if my mind would accept not being
a Diabetic. That kind of scares me when I think about it. It would
sure take some retraining not to go somewhere and wonder what my
sugar level is, etc., etc.

Anyways, on the same line as Duck, as long as it helps some
People that would be Great, especially the Kids. Then from one
discovery grows another. I do hope this new finding is worthy.

[August]

Originally Posted by Dan Gato

Good news.
I hope they persue the research & then develop it.
Here in the USA it'll take years for the FDA to give the final approval.
Thanks for sharing the news

If it works well and threatens the financial interests of the Pharma Mafia, they will cartainly drag their feet on the approval. Or ban it altogether.

Does this only work on 'Canadian' mice, or are American and EU mice able to utilize it. Hamsters? Gerbles?

Be happy,
-August