Stem cells can halve insulin dosage: IKDRC study

AHMEDABAD: Insulin-making stem cells derived from fat in the abdominal wall have shown to decrease insulin doses for diabetics by an average of 50%, experts at Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Center (IKDRC) claimed here on Thursday.

Dr H L Trivedi, director of IKDRC, said that a paper with data of 20 insulin-dependent diabetics who responded well to Insulin Secreting Cells (ISC) implanted in them was presented at the International Cell Transplant Society's Congress in Milan recently.

"Insulin-making stem cells were generated from Adipose Tissue Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (ADMSC) found in the abdominal wall. These fat cells underwent trans-differentiation in the laboratory to be made into stems cells which will produce insulin. The stem cells were injected into the thymus, skin and a major portion into the liver. These cells were found to reduce insulin requirement by an average of 50%," said Dr Trivedi.

Dr Aruna Vanikar, head of the IKDRC pathology department, said that the study included initial data of five city-based diabetes patients with chronic renal failure who were subjected to double stem cell infusion of ISC and MSC with hematopoietic stem cells. "All these patients have done well with minimum immuno-suppression, zero rejection and reduction in insulin requirement to about 50% of their original need before kidney failure," said Dr Vanikar.

Dr Vanikar said that the study was well received by the international community. "The next level will be to broaden the study and work towards making stem cells which render patients completely drug free".

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Stem cells can halve insulin dosage: IKDRC study