Hormone Dramatically Increases Insulin Production, Possible Diabetes Breakthrough

Editor's Choice Main Category: Diabetes Article Date: 26 Apr 2013 - 9:00 PDT

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The authors wrote that betatrophin might also help patients with type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes when they are first diagnosed.

In animal experiments the researchers found that betatrophin caused laboratory mice to produce beta cells at up to 30 times the normal rate. Beta cells are the insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas - put simply, beta cells produce insulin.

These new beta cells only produce insulin when the body requires it. The scientists explained that this breakthrough could mean that type 2 diabetes patients may have a natural regulation of insulin, plus a considerable reduction in diabetes-related complications. Diabetes is a major cause of amputations and non-genetic loss of vision.

HSCI Co-Director Doug Melton and postdoctoral fellow Peng Yi, who both discovered betatrophin, stressed that a great deal of work remains to be done before trying the hormone out on humans. They added that their work so far, which was mainly funded by a federal research grant, has already attracted the attention of pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Doug Melton, who is Harvard's Xander University Professor and co-chair of the University's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, said:

Type 2 diabetes prevalence in the USA has increased considerably over the last thirty years, in parallel with rising obesity rates, the authors explained. The illness causes patients to gradually lose beta cells, as well as the ability to produce enough insulin.

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Hormone Dramatically Increases Insulin Production, Possible Diabetes Breakthrough

Many Kids Who Undergo Stem Cell Transplants Must Return to Hospital

WEDNESDAY, April 24 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly two-thirds of children who received stem cell transplants were readmitted to the hospital within six months for treatment of problems such as infections and unexplained fevers, a new study finds.

Children who were given stem cells donated by other people were twice as likely to be readmitted as those who received their own stem cells, said the researchers at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center in Boston.

"No one had ever looked at these data in children," Dr. Leslie Lehmann, clinical director of pediatric stem cell transplantation, said in a cancer center news release. "This is very important information and will allow us to counsel families appropriately, as well as try to devise interventions that reduce the rate of readmissions."

Lehmann and Harvard Medical School student David Shulman analyzed the medical records of 129 children who had stem cell transplants from 2008 to 2011 and found that 64 percent of them had at least one hospital readmission within 180 days after their transplant.

Fever without a known cause accounted for 39 percent of readmissions, infections for 24 percent, and gastrointestinal problems for 15 percent, the study found.

"Most of the patients went on to be successfully treated and ultimately did very well," Lehmann said.

The researchers also found that 79 percent of children who received stem cells from a related or unrelated donor were readmitted, compared with 38 percent of those who received their own stem cells.

The findings are scheduled for presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, taking place this week in Miami. Study data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

"We hope these findings can eventually lead to identifying a group of low-risk children who could be managed at local hospitals rather than transplant centers, reducing costs and inconvenience to families," Lehmann said.

The goal is to identify which patients could be safely treated without requiring hospital admission, she said.

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Many Kids Who Undergo Stem Cell Transplants Must Return to Hospital

Bubba bounces back! Stem cell treatment for dogs

BACKGROUND: The use of stem cells to treat various health problems in pets first came about in 2003 for the treatment of horses. A few years later, stem cell treatments for household pets, such as dogs and cats, started to become available as an alternative to surgery or more serious procedures. While veterinarians continue to research different applications, so far stem cells are often used in regenerative therapy for dogs in order to help with arthritis and other joint issues. For this purpose, stem cells are taken from the dogs own fat tissue and injected directly into the diseased joints. (Source: http://www.harvardpress.com)

TREATMENT: Stem cell therapy is just one of several alternative treatment options now available for pets. Other alternative veterinary medicine includes acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and chiropractic and aquatic therapies. Acupuncture is the application of small-gauge needles to various points on the body for the purpose of eliciting physiological responses in the treatment of almost any disease or condition. Chinese herbal medicine is mainly used with dogs because it is difficult to administer to cats. The herbs come in powder, capsule, and biscuit form. Powder is the least expensive, but most difficult to give. They are used to treat the same conditions as Western Medicine except for surgical conditions. (Source: http://www.holistic-pet-vet.com/chinese-herbal-medicine-for-pets) These treatments have gained popularity as pet owners have become more and more willing to do whatever it takes to keep their animals healthy. In fact, in 2008 the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society reported that the number of veterinarians who have completed their 156 hour long training course in animal acupuncture has quadrupled over the past decade. (Source: http://www.time.com)

NEW TECHNOLOGY: Veterinarian Ashraf Gomaa from Abbott Animal Hospital in Rehoboth, MA used stem cell therapy to help improve Bubba the bulldogs hip dysplasia. The adipose-derived stem cell procedure performed on Bubba is the first one to be done in the state Massachusetts. Dr. Gomaa extracted fat cells from Bubba and then put them through a machine which breaks the cells down to the healthy stem cells. The stem cells were then injected directly into Bubbas hip. An added benefit to the procedure is that since the animals own fat cells are used, there are no serious side effects associated with the injections. Although stem cell regenerative therapy does not cure hip dysplasia, it can greatly reduce symptoms and improve the animals ability to function. Currently, Dr. Gomaa is the only veterinarian in the area certified to perform this particular procedure. (Source: http://www.abbottanimalhospital.com)

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Bubba bounces back! Stem cell treatment for dogs

Health Beat: Stem cell treatment for dogs, cats

From repairing torn ligaments to rebuilding bones, stem cell procedures are helping mankind in many ways. Now, mans best friend is getting in on the action, too.

Bubba, a 2-1/2-year-old English bulldog, was born with severe hip dysplasia that made it difficult and painful for him to walk.

"He's had to be injected once a month the last two years to ease the pain in his joints and the hip bone," said Bob Cook, Bubba's owner.

So when Cook heard about a new stem cell procedure that could relieve Bubbas pain, he jumped at the chance.

Dr. Ashraf Gomaa, veterinarian at Abbott Animal Hospital, extracted fat from Bubba's shoulder. Enzymes were added to the fat. Then, a machine separated the stem cells. Finally, the stem cells were injected back into Bubba to help decrease his painful inflammation.

"You want to inject it as closely as possible to the joint that is affected. Those stem cells react to inflammation and they have an affinity to inflammation so they go to any area of the body that has any type of trauma," Gomaa said.

On average, the doctor said the treatment lasts one to two years and can be repeated as needed.

Cook said it's put the bounce back in Bubbas step and probably saved his life.

"If it wasn't for this, he would probably have been on some serious pain meds and probably wouldnt have lived much longer," said Cook.

The stem cell procedure is approved for dogs and cats. The doctor said dogs or cats with joint, cartilage, tendon or ligament pain are good candidates for the procedure.

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Health Beat: Stem cell treatment for dogs, cats