CAPSULES bioengineered as protective shells to eliminate immuno-suppressive therapy and widen the range of transplantable patients in cases of type 1 diabetes. This is the goal of the research project just launched at the Niguarda Hospital, with the support of the Foundation Italiana Diabete Onlus, in collaboration with the University of Perugia and the DRI of Miami.
The type 1 diabetes it is an autoimmune disease that affects 50% of cases in childhood and adolescence. If left untreated it leads to death and if treated poorly, it can cause many serious complications, both acute and chronic. This type of diabetes, which accounts for 5% of overall cases, requires a insulin treatment immediate and intensive and frequent monitoring of blood glucose values.
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The pancreas transplant e that, less invasive, of pancreatic islets are two procedures potentially capable of resolving type 1 diabetes for many years, eliminating or reducing insulin dependence and removing or reversing complications. Unfortunately, however, due to the use of immunosuppressive drugs (anti rejection) and the consequent associated side effects, the use of these treatments is limited to cases in which serious complications are already present or those in which insulin therapy does not allow to control the disease.
Type 1 diabetes, high-tech capsules for pancreatic islet transplantation
The research project
Pancreatic islet transplantation is a procedure used in Italy by only two centers, including the Niguarda in Milan, which has so far transplanted over 100 people. A new experimental research project is about to start at Niguarda which aims to broaden the applicability of the transplant to many more people, avoiding the use of anti rejection therapies.
“We will use special microcapsules to transplant pancreatic cells onto the membrane surrounding the abdominal organs (omentum) – he explains Federico Bertuzzi, in charge of Diabetology of the Niguarda- with the collaboration of the staff of nephrologists, transplant surgeons, anesthetists and tissue therapy. It is expected that, thanks to these capsules produced by the University of Perugia, the patient’s immune system will not be able to destroy the pancreatic cells, which will then be able to start producing the necessary insulin “.
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The project will last two years and was also born in collaboration with the Diabetes Research Institue of Miami. Therefore, by not resorting to anti-rejection therapies, now necessary to prevent the activation of the immune system, thanks to the use of capsules, many more patients could access the transplant in the future.
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