Eight patients with type 1 diabetes, ranging in age from 29 to 53, became free of insulin after receiving transplanted islet cells and steroid-free immunosuppression, according to a study presented at Transplant 2000, the recent joint meeting of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.
The steroid-free immunosuppressive regimen that was used was based on Zenapax (daclizumab) induction with low doses of tacrolimus and sirolimus therapy, reported James Shapiro and colleagues at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.
A statement issued by the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDF) on May 19 described the procedure as follows. "The transplants involve a simple injection procedure which does not require surgery. The cells are placed into the liver through the portal vein. The cells then migrate to the liver where, even though they are in a different organ, take root and produce sufficient insulin and almost perfect control of blood sugar."
Although experts praised the findings as unprecedented, they cautioned that, with eight patients, the study is too small to draw definite conclusions. They plan to continue test the strategy in at least 32 additional cell transplants, the Associated Press reported on May 19. However, until longer-term results become available, the protocol will not be tested in children.
* In a related finding, Tatsuo Kawai, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital announced at Transplant 2000 the successful transplantation of primate pancreatic islet cells into a mismatched diabetic primate without the need for long-term administration of immunosuppressive drugs. The recipient animal's insulin-dependent diabetes was completely reversed by the procedure and remained reversed more than 230 days following transplantation.
For Your Information:
JDF posts a statement on the findings by Dr. Shapiro at www.jdf.org/research/news051900.html.
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