In 2021, a team of Chinese scientists and clinicians successfully cured a diabetic patient using innovative stem cell therapy.
This treatment, which combines "sperm cells" (programmed peripheral blood mononuclear cells), offers new hope to diabetics worldwide.
The patient:
The patient, a 59-year-old man, suffered from type 2 diabetes for 25 years.
Although he received a kidney transplant in 2017, he lost most of his pancreatic islet function, leading to severe dependence on multiple daily insulin injections.
The treatment:
The treatment included the transplantation of mononuclear cells from the patient's own peripheral blood.
These cells were programmed using advanced genetic technologies to become "sperm cells" - cells with properties similar to pancreatic islet cells, intended for insulin production.
Then, the "sperm cells" were transplanted into the patient's body, where they developed into artificial pancreatic islet tissue.
Results:
The results were amazing.
Within only 11 weeks after the transplant, the patient no longer needed external insulin.
Within a year, his need for oral medication to control blood sugar levels was completely eliminated.
Meaning of treatment:
The success of this treatment constitutes a significant advance in the field of diabetes treatment.
It offers a new option to cure patients who do not respond to existing treatments, and free them from chronic drug dependence.
Sperm cells:
Contrary to conventional understanding, "sperm cells" in this context do not refer to sperm cells in the conventional biological sense.
These are peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) that have undergone a process of programming and transformation into cells with properties similar to pancreatic islet cells.
The advantages of cellular therapy:
- Personalized treatment: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells are taken from the patient himself, which reduces the risk of rejection.
- Insulin production: The "sperm cells" are able to produce insulin naturally, which can regulate blood sugar levels more effectively than drugs.
- Avoidance of side effects: Cell therapy is less invasive than drugs and other treatments, and has fewer side effects.
Challenges:
- Further research: Further research is required in order to understand the effectiveness and safety of this treatment in the long term.
- Costs: Cell therapy is still relatively expensive, and it is necessary to develop methods to lower its cost.
- Accessibility: It is necessary to make treatment more accessible to patients around the world.
In summary:
Cell therapy using "sperm cells" offers new hope for diabetics.
This treatment has proven to be effective in humans for the first time, and has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of many patients.
However, further research and the development of new technologies are required in order to make the treatment accessible and affordable for everyone.
References:
https://stcsm.sh.gov.cn/news/20240513/640613715b914a2eb735a32a35215afb.html
https://stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13287-023-03574-3
