Drug prevents diabetes recurrence after islet cell trans...( CHARLOTTESVILLE Va. Jan. 20 A new an...),Health

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Jan. 20 A new anti-inflammatory compound called Lisofylline prevents diabetes from coming back after insulin-manufacturing islet cells are transplanted into diabetic mice, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Virginia Health System. The study is published in the January 20 issue of the journal Transplantation.

Pancreatic islet cell transplantation has become a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes in humans in recent years. But without several powerful immunosuppressive drugs, the body's immune system would destroy the engrafted islet cells in transplant patients leading to insulin deficiency, an excess of glucose in the blood and the return of diabetes.

Lisofylline, or LSF, has the potential to help prevent this cellular destruction by preserving insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells in the presence of autoimmune attackers called inflammatory cytokines, according to U.Va. researchers.

"Our findings are very encouraging and we are excited that Lisofylline worked so well in this animal model," said Dr. Jerry Nadler, chief of the division of endocrinology and metabolism at U.Va. and director of the Diabetes and Hormone Center of Excellence. "We have discovered a potentially new way to protect islet cells in a clinical transplant setting. It's possible this research could form a basis for additional studies to use LSF or related anti-inflammatory compounds in humans to limit the need for more toxic immunosuppressant drugs in islet cell transplant patients."

In the study, diabetic mice that can only mount an autoimmune attack were given islet transplants in the kidney and then daily injections of LSF for 3 weeks. A control group was treated with only saline. Results of blood glucose tests showed that the LSF-treated mice maintained healthy glucose levels, without immunosuppressants and insulin, for more than 65 days. Mice treated with saline main
'"/>

Contact: Bob Beard
reb8e@virginia.edu
434-982-4490
University of Virginia Health System
20-Jan-2004

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Screening for osteoporosis prevents hip fractures in older adults
2. Understanding how prostaglandin prevents gut injury during radiation therapy
3. Exercise prevents Parkinsons symptoms in lab model mimicking human form of the disease
4. Study finds once-daily Valcyte prevents serious viral infection after kidney transplant
5. Enzyme prevents lung damage in premature infants
6. Enoxaparin prevents stillbirth in pregnant women with clotting disorder
7. New drug prevents arrhythmias that cause sudden cardiac death
8. Detecting vitamin B12 deficiency prevents anaemia and memory loss
9. Gene targeting prevents memory loss in Alzheimers disease model
10. Combined drug therapy prevents progression of prostate enlargement
11. Clean needles for drug injectors prevents HIV/AIDS