Diabetes mellitus will be cured by antibodies
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati, working under the guidance of Professor William Ridgway, have developed a therapeutic approach that cures type 1 diabetes in mouse models and can help in the fight against this disease in humans.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus usually develops in childhood or at a young age and accounts for about 5% of all cases of diabetes mellitus. This incurable disease has an autoimmune character and is characterized by the progressive death of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas under the action of the body's own T-lymphocytes. This leads to a decrease in the level of insulin in the blood and the development of many metabolic disorders.
Previously, it was found that the non-obese mouse model of diabetes mellitus is characterized by defects in immune cells that provide innate immunity, as well as the fact that the activation of toll-like receptors (TLR4) of these cells is able to prevent the development of the disease.
The authors claim that the administration of agonistic monoclonal antibodies UT18 stimulating TLR4 activity to non-obese mice with recently manifested diabetes mellitus eliminates the symptoms of the disease in most cases.
According to Ridgway, this cure is due to the preservation of endocrine cells of the pancreas, and the key condition for the success of therapy is its use shortly after the manifestation of the disease.
A largely similar molecular mechanism mediated by TLR4 receptors is also used by human immune cells. The authors believe that, after conducting additional studies, the effectiveness of the approach developed by them can be tested in clinical trials. Moreover, one agonist drug specific to toll-like receptors has already been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, and several more are under development.
The results of the work were presented at the 74th scientific session of the American Association of Diabetologists held on June 13-17 in San Francisco.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of Cincinnati:
UC Researchers Say Reversal of Type 1 Diabetes In Mice May Help Humans.
16.06.2014