Re: Diabetes breakthrough?

[Guest guest]

Wow, that's amazing. I guess maybe that tube of capsaicin cream I bought might see some use yet. Pain, inflammation, and now a messed up glucose test could mean it's time to give it a chance and see if I react the way the mice did. :-) penny pjeanneus <pj7@...> wrote: I hope some smarter folks than I can shed some light on thesignificance of this. I know the scientists say that a treatment isyears away, but I bet there

is some way to do this now.a CarnesDiabetes breakthroughToronto scientists cure disease in miceTom Blackwell, National PostPublished: Friday, December 15, 2006In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at a Toronto hospital say they have proof the body's nervous system helps trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the disease that affects millions of Canadians.Diabetic mice became healthy virtually overnight after researchers injected a substance to counteract the effect of malfunctioning pain neurons in the pancreas."I couldn't believe it," said Dr. Salter, a pain expert at the Hospital for Sick Children and one of the scientists. "Mice with diabetes suddenly didn't have diabetes any more."The researchers caution they have yet to confirm their findings in people, but say they expect results from human studies within a year or so. Any

treatment that may emerge to help at least some patients would likely be years away from hitting the market.But the excitement of the team from Sick Kids, whose work is being published today in the journal Cell, is almost palpable."I've never seen anything like it," said Dr. Hans Dosch, an immunologist at the hospital and a leader of the studies. "In my career, this is unique."Their conclusions upset conventional wisdom that Type 1 diabetes, the most serious form of the illness that typically first appears in childhood, was solely caused by auto-immune responses -- the body's immune system turning on itself.They also conclude that there are far more similarities than previously thought between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and that nerves likely play a role in other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as asthma and Crohn's disease.The "paradigm-changing" study opens "a novel, exciting door to address

one of the diseases with large societal impact," said Dr. Christian Stohler, a leading U.S. pain specialist and dean of dentistry at the University of land, who has reviewed the work."The treatment and diagnosis of neuropathic diseases is poised to take a dramatic leap forward because of the impressive research."About two million Canadians suffer from diabetes, 10% of them with Type 1, contributing to 41,000 deaths a year.Insulin replacement therapy is the only treatment of Type 1, and cannot prevent many of the side effects, from heart attacks to kidney failure.In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to shift glucose into the cells that need it. In Type 2 diabetes, the insulin that is produced is not used effectively -- something called insulin resistance -- also resulting in poor absorption of glucose.The problems stem partly from inflammation -- and eventual death -- of

insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas.Dr. Dosch had concluded in a 1999 paper that there were surprising similarities between diabetes and multiple sclerosis, a central nervous system disease. His interest was also piqued by the presence around the insulin-producing islets of an "enormous" number of nerves, pain neurons primarily used to signal the brain that tissue has been damaged.Suspecting a link between the nerves and diabetes, he and Dr. Salter used an old experimental trick -- injecting capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot chili peppers, to kill the pancreatic sensory nerves in mice that had an equivalent of Type 1 diabetes.ToolsPage 2Tom Blackwell, National PostPublished: Friday, December 15, 2006"Then we had the biggest shock of our lives," Dr. Dosch said. Almost immediately, the islets began producing insulin normally "It was a shock ? really out of left field, because nothing in the

literature was saying anything about this."It turns out the nerves secrete neuropeptides that are instrumental in the proper functioning of the islets. Further study by the team, which also involved the University of Calgary and the Laboratory in Maine, found that the nerves in diabetic mice were releasing too little of the neuropeptides, resulting in a "vicious cycle" of stress on the islets.So next they injected the neuropeptide "substance P" in the pancreases of diabetic mice, a demanding task given the tiny size of the rodent organs. The results were dramatic.The islet inflammation cleared up and the diabetes was gone. Some have remained in that state for as long as four months, with just one injection.They also discovered that their treatments curbed the insulin resistance that is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, and that insulin resistance is a major factor in Type 1 diabetes, suggesting the two

illnesses are quite similar.While pain scientists have been receptive to the research, immunologists have voiced skepticism at the idea of the nervous system playing such a major role in the disease. Editors of Cell put the Toronto researchers through vigorous review to prove the validity of their conclusions, though an editorial in the publication gives a positive review of the work."It will no doubt cause a great deal of consternation," said Dr. Salter about his paper.The researchers are now setting out to confirm that the connection between sensory nerves and diabetes holds true in humans. If it does, they will see if their treatments have the same effects on people as they did on mice.Nothing is for sure, but "there is a great deal of promise," Dr. Salter said.© National Post 2006

[Guest guest]

I like studies that upset the conventional wisdom.

Sue ,

Upstate New York

[Guest guest]

I'm sure the " shock " that they're talking about is that it upsets

the " autoimmune " apple-cart.

It basically says there * is * a reason for diabetes.

But remember this - and I quote from the article:

QUOTE:

> While pain scientists have been receptive to the research,

> immunologists have voiced skepticism at the idea of the nervous

> system playing such a major role in the disease. Editors of Cell

put

> the Toronto researchers through vigorous review to prove the

validity

> of their conclusions, though an editorial in the publication gives

a

> positive review of the work.

ENDQUOTE

In those diseases- it is pretty well estabilished that inflammation

feeds the problem in an almost positive feed back loop - So it may be

a little more complicated that just quieting the nerves - although

as we know - there are drugs that quiet the central nervuos system

and alleviate things like rashes and hives..

Interesting theory non the less.

But I wouldn't get too exceited yet.

Barb

>

> I hope some smarter folks than I can shed some light on the

> significance of this. I know the scientists say that a treatment is

> years away, but I bet there is some way to do this now.

> a Carnes

>

> Diabetes breakthrough

> Toronto scientists cure disease in mice

>

> Tom Blackwell, National Post

> Published: Friday, December 15, 2006

> In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at

a

> Toronto hospital say they have proof the body's nervous system

helps

> trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the

> disease that affects millions of Canadians.

> Diabetic mice became healthy virtually overnight after researchers

> injected a substance to counteract the effect of malfunctioning

pain

> neurons in the pancreas.

> " I couldn't believe it, " said Dr. Salter, a pain expert at

> the Hospital for Sick Children and one of the scientists. " Mice

with

> diabetes suddenly didn't have diabetes any more. "

> The researchers caution they have yet to confirm their findings in

> people, but say they expect results from human studies within a

year

> or so. Any treatment that may emerge to help at least some patients

> would likely be years away from hitting the market.

> But the excitement of the team from Sick Kids, whose work is being

> published today in the journal Cell, is almost palpable.

> " I've never seen anything like it, " said Dr. Hans Dosch, an

> immunologist at the hospital and a leader of the studies. " In my

> career, this is unique. "

> Their conclusions upset conventional wisdom that Type 1 diabetes,

the

> most serious form of the illness that typically first appears in

> childhood, was solely caused by auto-immune responses -- the body's

> immune system turning on itself.

> They also conclude that there are far more similarities than

> previously thought between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and that

> nerves likely play a role in other chronic inflammatory conditions,

> such as asthma and Crohn's disease.

> The " paradigm-changing " study opens " a novel, exciting door to

> address one of the diseases with large societal impact, " said Dr.

> Christian Stohler, a leading U.S. pain specialist and dean of

> dentistry at the University of land, who has reviewed the work.

> " The treatment and diagnosis of neuropathic diseases is poised to

> take a dramatic leap forward because of the impressive research. "

> About two million Canadians suffer from diabetes, 10% of them with

> Type 1, contributing to 41,000 deaths a year.

> Insulin replacement therapy is the only treatment of Type 1, and

> cannot prevent many of the side effects, from heart attacks to

kidney

> failure.

> In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to

> shift glucose into the cells that need it. In Type 2 diabetes, the

> insulin that is produced is not used effectively -- something

called

> insulin resistance -- also resulting in poor absorption of glucose.

> The problems stem partly from inflammation -- and eventual death --

> of insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas.

> Dr. Dosch had concluded in a 1999 paper that there were surprising

> similarities between diabetes and multiple sclerosis, a central

> nervous system disease. His interest was also piqued by the

presence

> around the insulin-producing islets of an " enormous " number of

> nerves, pain neurons primarily used to signal the brain that tissue

> has been damaged.

> Suspecting a link between the nerves and diabetes, he and Dr.

Salter

> used an old experimental trick -- injecting capsaicin, the active

> ingredient in hot chili peppers, to kill the pancreatic sensory

> nerves in mice that had an equivalent of Type 1 diabetes.

> Tools

> Page 2

> Tom Blackwell, National Post

> Published: Friday, December 15, 2006

> " Then we had the biggest shock of our lives, " Dr. Dosch said.

Almost

> immediately, the islets began producing insulin normally " It was a

> shock ? really out of left field, because nothing in the literature

> was saying anything about this. "

> It turns out the nerves secrete neuropeptides that are instrumental

> in the proper functioning of the islets. Further study by the team,

> which also involved the University of Calgary and the

> Laboratory in Maine, found that the nerves in diabetic mice were

> releasing too little of the neuropeptides, resulting in a " vicious

> cycle " of stress on the islets.

> So next they injected the neuropeptide " substance P " in the

> pancreases of diabetic mice, a demanding task given the tiny size

of

> the rodent organs. The results were dramatic.

> The islet inflammation cleared up and the diabetes was gone. Some

> have remained in that state for as long as four months, with just

one

> injection.

> They also discovered that their treatments curbed the insulin

> resistance that is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, and that

insulin

> resistance is a major factor in Type 1 diabetes, suggesting the two

> illnesses are quite similar.

> While pain scientists have been receptive to the research,

> immunologists have voiced skepticism at the idea of the nervous

> system playing such a major role in the disease. Editors of Cell

put

> the Toronto researchers through vigorous review to prove the

validity

> of their conclusions, though an editorial in the publication gives

a

> positive review of the work.

> " It will no doubt cause a great deal of consternation, " said Dr.

> Salter about his paper.

> The researchers are now setting out to confirm that the connection

> between sensory nerves and diabetes holds true in humans. If it

does,

> they will see if their treatments have the same effects on people

as

> they did on mice.

> Nothing is for sure, but " there is a great deal of promise, " Dr.

> Salter said.

> © National Post 2006

>