Type 1 diabetes is caused by an insufficient production of the hormone insulin by cells in the pancreas called beta cells and estimated to affect 9.5 million people worldwide. Low insulin levels allow glucose levels to remain elevated, which in the long term can damage organs such as the kidneys, the eyes, and the cardiovascular system. People with diabetes require lifelong monitoring of blood sugar levels coupled with insulin injections to keep blood sugar levels at a stable, healthy level.
A potential new treatment option for those patients is the replacement of lost or dysfunctional pancreatic beta cells, either by cell transplantation, or by the generation of new beta cells from existing cells within the body. This latter strategy was pursued by the team of Xiaofeng Huang from Weill Cornell Medicine , USA and Qing Xia from Peking University , China who previously discovered that cells in the mouse stomach can be transformed into pancreatic beta cells by genetic engineering.
In their work published today in the journal Stem Cell Reports, the researchers now tested if the same can be done with human stomach within the body. To test this, the researchers started off by making human stomach organoids, microscopic structures that model aspects of a normal stomach function. The stomach organoids were genetically engineered so that they could be transformed into pancreatic beta cells upon turning on a "genetic switch." The stomach organoids were then transplanted into the abdominal region of mice where they survived and matured for up to six months and established connections with the surrounding tissues and the blood system. Upon turning on the "genetic switch," the human stomach cells were converted to insulin secreting cells within the mice and resembled pancreatic beta cells with respect to gene and protein expression. Encouragingly, when those experiments were done with diabetic mice, insulin secreted from the transformed human cells helped control blood sugar levels and ameliorated diabetes. The scientists hope that a similar approach can be taken to convert cells from a patient's own stomach into insulin secreting cells directly within the body. Importantly, additional studies are needed to address if this approach is safe and effective to be used in patients.
About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians. Stem Cell Reports is a Cell Press partner journal. Find the journal on X: @StemCellReports .
About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research ( @ISSCR ) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.
