Major Breakthrough in Using Stem Cells to Cure A Genetic Form of Diabetes

A study just published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation describes what sounds like a very important advance in the treatment of genetically-caused diabetes.The study is iPSC-derived β cells model diabetes due to glucokinase deficiency.  Haiqing Hua et. al Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2013; DOI: 10.1172/JCI67638To better understand what was done here, read Science Daily: Researchers Demonstrate Use of Stem Cells to Analyze Causes, Treatment of DiabetesThe particular form of diabetes that was studied here was MODY-2. This is a monogentic genetic form of diabetes, which means you need have only one copy of the gene to experience its symptoms. MODY-2 involves the glucokinase gene (GCK) which is often described as a "glucose thermostat." It affects the control of fasting blood sugar, and when it is broken people have diabetic-level fasting blood sugars that, in theory, can not be lowered.This it turns out, is not entirely true. I have heard from several people diagnosed via gene tests with MODY-2 who report that cutting carbs does lower their fasting blood sugar, even though they were told it would not. My guess is that while their base fasting blood sugar is higher than normal eating a high carb diet further stresses their blood sugars as it does in people without the defect, so removing the carb-related stress lowers their fasting blood sugar to a level slightly higher than normal, but not nearly as bad as what they experience while eating a high carb d...
Source: Diabetes Update - Category: Diabetes Authors: Source Type: blogs