Time for a paradigm shift in treating type 1 diabetes mellitus: coupling inflammation to islet Regeneration

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease that targets the destruction of islet beta-cells resulting in insulin deficiency, hyperglycemia and death if untreated. Despite advances in medical devices and longer-acting insulin, there is still no robust therapy to substitute and protect beta-cells that are lost in T1DM. Attempts to refrain from the autoimmune attack have failed to achieve glycemic control in patients highlighting the necessity for a paradigm shift in T1DM treatment. Paradoxically, beta-cells are present in T1DM patients indicating a disturbed equilibrium between the immune attack and beta-cell regeneration reminiscent of unresolved wound healing that under normal circumstances progression towards an anti-inflammatory milieu promotes regeneration.
Source: Metabolism - Clinical and Experimental - Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Source Type: research