Issue 140 Item 4 One Injection Could Result In Cure For Diabetes

Scientists at the University of Bath have converted liver cells into pancreas cells in a study that could revolutionize the treatment of the disease. Research by British scientists could offer millions of people with diabetes the chance to treat the condition with just one injection.

Diabetes occurs when the pancreas contains defective cells that do not produce sufficient quantities of the hormone insulin. A shortage of insulin means cells do not absorb enough glucose to provide fuel and leaves excessive amounts of glucose in the bloodstream.

This can be treated with changes to diet and increasing exercise, and in more serious cases insulin injections – although many diabetics suffer long-term complications.

The experiments offer the potential of an alternative treatment, using just one injection, which could overcome these complications.

The results are published in a research paper in Current Biology magazine.

The team at the university’s Department of Biology and Biochemistry used transdifferentiation, involving converting one type of cell to another.

They succeeded in converting liver cells to pancreas cells in a research project funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council.

Professor Jonathan Slack, leading the team, says if further research is positive, this method could be used as a treatment for diabetes within 10 years.

He said: "The results from these experiments have been very encouraging. This is the first step in the development of what could ultimately provide a cure for people suffering from diabetes, but there is a lot more work to do."