PHOENIX, Ariz. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — The American Diabetes Association estimates nearly 1.25 million Americans have type one diabetes. Scientists at the University of Arizona are developing an implantable device that senses low glucose and delivers insulin.
Rebecca Ruiz Hudman uses a glucose monitor, insulin pump and insulin sensor to control her type one diabetes.
Hudman said, “It might make you sleepy if you’re too high or it might make you shaky and jittery and obviously go into a coma if you’re too low. So, it’s this constant battle.”
Even with state-of-the-art technology, her glucose levels go too high and too low. In type one diabetes, the immune system destroys insulin-producing islet cells, so the pancreas can’t regulate blood sugar. Klearchos Papas, PhD, Dir, Institute for Cellular Transplantation at the University of Arizona is developing this ‘tea bag’ device to take over.
“The teabag actually separates the immune system from the cells and protects them without the need of special drugs that immunosuppress your system,” said Papas.
That’s especially important for kids. Scientists get islet cells from a cadaver pancreas, isolate and evaluate them, then put them in this Teflon-coated teabag.
Papas explained, “It allows glucose to go in so these cells can sense it as they do in the pancreas, and it allows insulin to come out, so it can actually be effective in the tissues that need it.”
It worked in small animals and is now being tested in large ones. Papas says the teabag is small because he figured out how to oxygenate it through this tube and needs fewer cells.
Professor Papas hopes to use lab-grown islet cells from stem cells to make the procedure more cost effective and efficient for widespread use. He’s also trying to see whether several small teabags or one larger tea bag work best. Papas says grants from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the NIH should push the project into clinical trials in two or three years.
Contributors to this news report include: Wendy Chioji, Field Producer; Bruce Maniscalco, Videographer; Cyndy McGrath, Supervising Producer; Ken Ashe, Editor.
To receive a free weekly e-mail on Medical Breakthroughs from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: TEA BAG INSULIN
REPORT: MB #4611
BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition that causes the pancreas to produce very little to no insulin. Type 1 used to be known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes. The disease is usually detected or appears during patients’ adolescent years, but in some cases can develop in adults. Currently there is still no cure for Type 1 diabetes. Treatment for Type 1 manages blood sugar levels with insulin, diet and lifestyle changes to prevent complications.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20353011)
INSULIN AND GLUCOSE ROLES: In type 1 diabetes, there’s no insulin to let glucose into the cells, so sugar builds up in your bloodstream. Insulin is produced by the pancreas, which sits behind and below the stomach. Once many islet cells are destroyed, that is when the pancreas will begin to produce low amounts of insulin. Insulin is secreted into the bloodstream by the pancreas, it then circulates allowing sugar to enter into cells. Insulin lowers the amount of sugar in your bloodstream, so as blood sugar levels drop so does secretion of insulin. Glucose is the number one source of energy for cells that make up muscles and other tissues and comes from food and the liver. Sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it enters cells with the help of insulin. When glucose levels are low the liver, which stores glucose and glycogen, breaks down the glycogen into glucose to keep glucose levels normal. This can cause life-threatening complications.
(Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20353011)
TEABAG INSULIN: Klearchos Papas, PhD, Dir, Institute for Cellular Transplantation at the University of Arizona has developed a new device that will try and mimic a normal pancreas and help with producing insulin. “It has several features, but two of the key features is that it blocks cells from the immune system to get through it so they don’t reorganize them and they don’t attack the newly implanted cells,” said Papas. He also went on to say, “It allows glucose to go in so that these cells can sense it as they do in the pancreas and then it allows insulin to come out so that it can actually be effective in the tissues that need it.” The device worked in small animals and is now being tested on larger ones.
(Source: Klearchos Papas, PhD)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Jean Spinelli, PR
520-626-2531
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
