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Diabetes Breakthrough(scientists cure disease in mice)
National Post ^ | Tom Blackwell,

Posted on 12/15/2006 8:44:37 AM PST by kellynla

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: diabetes; type1diabetes; wonderdrugs
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1 posted on 12/15/2006 8:44:38 AM PST by kellynla
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To: kellynla

Ice cream and hot fudge for everyone!!


2 posted on 12/15/2006 8:46:51 AM PST by jbwbubba
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To: kellynla

Will the wonders of embryonic stem cells never cease? Oh ... wait ....


3 posted on 12/15/2006 8:47:54 AM PST by NonValueAdded (Prayers for our patriot brother, 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub. Brian, we're all pulling for you!)
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To: b_sharp; neutrality; anguish; SeaLion; Fractal Trader; grjr21; bitt; KevinDavis; Momaw Nadon; ...
FutureTechPing!
An emergent technologies list covering biomedical
research, fusion power, nanotech, AI robotics, and
other related fields. FReepmail to join or drop.

4 posted on 12/15/2006 8:47:57 AM PST by AntiGuv ("..I do things for political expediency.." - Sen. John McCain on FOX News)
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To: kellynla

Pass the sugar!


5 posted on 12/15/2006 8:48:43 AM PST by Oratam
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To: kellynla
"It will no doubt cause a great deal of consternation," said Dr. Salter about his paper.

I bet it will. There was no mention of "stem cells" in this report. If they don't need stem cells for this, how will they get the government funding earmarked for the hot new thing?

6 posted on 12/15/2006 8:49:30 AM PST by MichiganConservative (The US is so full of domestic enemies, maybe all we can do is slow the inevitable ascent of tyranny.)
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To: kellynla

I hope this is true!!


7 posted on 12/15/2006 8:49:36 AM PST by areafiftyone (Politicians Are Like Diapers - Both Need To Be Changed Often And For The Same Reason)
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To: Apple Blossom

Ping


8 posted on 12/15/2006 8:49:55 AM PST by bmwcyle (McCain nomination assures a Hillary win)
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To: trifona

Big time ping.


9 posted on 12/15/2006 8:49:57 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: kellynla
injecting capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot chili peppers,

See? See? I've been telling y'all that spicy food was good for you!

10 posted on 12/15/2006 8:50:08 AM PST by CholeraJoe (Spork weasels ain't afraid of nuthin' but running out of sardines.)
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To: jbwbubba
"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."

That last sentence is just plain unsat.

11 posted on 12/15/2006 8:50:08 AM PST by Romish_Papist
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To: nnn0jeh

ping


12 posted on 12/15/2006 8:50:12 AM PST by kalee (No burka for me....EVER!)
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To: kellynla
Wow,if this proves true,it's big.Diabetes is a major (indirect) cause of disability and death in this country.No diabetes means fewer heart attacks,fewer amputations of feet and legs....
13 posted on 12/15/2006 8:50:32 AM PST by Gay State Conservative ("The meaning of peace is the absence of opposition to socialism."-Karl Marx)
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To: kellynla

Wow.

Extremely cool. Extremely wonderful, if it can be fashioned into a cure or near-cure for humans.


14 posted on 12/15/2006 8:51:13 AM PST by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
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To: kellynla

BTTT
Wonderful news, if true.


15 posted on 12/15/2006 8:52:58 AM PST by ARealMothersSonForever
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To: Oratam
I could have told them that. I am a fibromyalgia (chronic pain and fatigue) that suffered until a doctor got my sugar levels under control. Now the pain has lessened dramatically if not disapeared. As long as I control the sugar, I am functioning.
16 posted on 12/15/2006 8:54:20 AM PST by KYGrandma (Kentucky girl who wants to go home)
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To: Gay State Conservative

Assume they're talking about Type 2...


17 posted on 12/15/2006 8:54:34 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (BTUs are my Beat.)
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To: kellynla

My jaw dropped as I read this article. Needs IMMEDIATE replication research. Absolutely astonishing.


18 posted on 12/15/2006 8:54:52 AM PST by FormerACLUmember
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To: NonValueAdded
Will the wonders of embryonic stem cells never cease? Oh ... wait ....

Classic! I would love to hear Michael J. Fox explain how something like this could (possibly) be discovered without having to kill any babies!

19 posted on 12/15/2006 8:55:25 AM PST by ConservaTexan (February 6, 1911)
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To: kellynla

I'm praying that this is true!


20 posted on 12/15/2006 8:55:57 AM PST by pgkdan
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