Man, 59, ‘cured’ of diabetes with cell therapy in groundbreaking world first
Researchers hope it could one day transform the lives of millions of sufferers
SCIENTISTS claim to have cured a man of type 2 diabetes.
The patient, 59, received groundbreaking cell therapy in 2021 and has been off all medication since 2022.
“This represents an important advance in the field of cell therapy for diabetes,” Timothy Kieffer, a professor of cellular and physiological sciences at the University of British Columbia in Canada, who was not involved with the research, told .
The patient was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more than 25 years ago and had faced severe complications.
Despite having a kidney transplant in 2017, he had lost most of his pancreatic islet function, which is crucial for regulating blood glucose levels.
As a result, he relied on multiple daily insulin injections.
Researchers in Shanghai, China, used the man’s own blood cells to create stem cells, which were then converted to insulin-producing cells that keep blood sugar levels in check.
These were transplanted in July 2021 and within 11 weeks, he no longer required insulin jabs.
The man gradually reduced his oral medication for blood sugar control and came off it completely 12 months later.
Hao Yin, from Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, said: “Follow-up examinations showed that the patient’s pancreatic islet function was effectively restored and his renal function was within the normal range.
“Such results suggest that the treatment can avoid the progression of diabetic complications.”
The patient has been insulin-free ever since, without needing to drastically change his diet or exercise routine.
It is the first time stem cell therapy has been used to “cure” type 2 diabetes, according to Prof Kieffer.
Yin added: “Our technology has matured and it has pushed boundaries in the field of regenerative medicine for the treatment of diabetes.”
The team now hopes to test the therapy in more diabetic patients, perhaps one day transforming the lives of millions of sufferers.
The breakthrough was published in the journal .
How to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes
According to Diabetes UK, there are a few diet tweaks you can make to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes:
- Choose drinks without added sugar – skip out the sugar in your tea and coffee and stay away from fizzy and energy drinks
- Eat whole grains such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholemeal flour, wholegrain bread and oats instead of refined carbs
- Cut down on red and processed meat like bacon, ham, sausages, pork, beef and lamb
- Eat plenty of fruit and veg – apples, grapes, berries, and green leafy veg such as spinach, kale, watercress, and rocket have been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Have unsweetened yoghurt and cheese
- Cut down on booze – and have a few days a week with none at all
- Have healthy snacks like unsweetened yoghurt, unsalted nuts, seeds and fruit and veg
- Eat healthy fats included in nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil
- Cut down on salt
- Get your vitamins and minerals from food instead of tablets
More than five million people are thought to be living with diabetes in the UK, with cases doubling in the last 15 years.
Globally, the number stands at an estimated 415million – though many are undiagnosed.
This figure is expected to rise to 642million by 2040, according to .
Most people (90 per cent) have type 2 diabetes (where the body is unable to make enough insulin or it doesn’t work properly) versus type 1 (where the body attacks the cells in the pancreas so it cannot make any insulin).
Symptoms of both are similar, most commonly – needing to wee a lot, excessive thirst, feeling more tired than usual and losing weight without trying.
Others also experience genital itching, thrush, blurred eyesight, increased hunger, and cuts and wounds taking longer to heal.
There are a number of treatment options available, including insulin, weight loss, and a healthy lifestyle.
Islet cell transplants are currently available on the NHS for select patients with type 1 diabetes.
