Potential Diabetes Cure?

[bhodi]

Years away from human trials, but this is still a discovery close to the penicillin variety and just as important.. sticking in useless news until it's verified, etc. etc.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=a042812e-492c-4f07-8245-8a598ab5d1bf&p=1

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.
ublished: 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 Jackson 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.

[Strazos]

I always wonder about big cures like this, or something like cancer. Is it really in the interests of big pharmabusiness to let these things get to market? I mean, is it more profitable to have people remain diabetic, and continue to need testing devices and insulin injections?

[Joey]

I always wonder about big cures like this, or something like cancer. Is it really in the interests of big pharmabusiness to let these things get to market? I mean, is it more profitable to have people remain diabetic, and continue to need testing devices and insulin injections?

Well, of course it is.  Insulin, test strips, syringes, meters, lancets, etc., etc. are all phenomenally expensive, and I'm sure everyone from physicians (who require you to frequently see them just so you can keep getting script refills), to the pharmaceutical companies, to the local drug store absolutely LOVE it that so many folks are diabetic these days.

[Merusk]

(who require you to frequently see them just so you can keep getting script refills)

While I agree with the statement 'the money's in the disease, not the cure' and giga-corps love for the disease, I find this sentiment not only incredibly insulting to the medical professionals, but incredibly lame.

[Viin]

I agree with that. I'm sure this will get "lost" somewhere along the way and we'll never hear of it again.

If we cured all our major diseases just imagine the number of our poorly paid doctors who'd not have a job anymore. Or the humble companies that make medical equipment.

[Evangolis]

I'm sure there are a few that feel that money > mercy, but my doctor isn't one of them.  It would only take a few honest men to provide a cure, and then the market forces would be on their side.  And honest men are more common than most think.

The problem here is likely to be that there is less here than meets the eye, and many a slip twixt cup and lip.  I've seen a lot of these breakthroughs, and they do produce wonderful things, like Viagra (sneer all you want boy, but when you get older, you too will likely bless the happy chance that led a researcher down the hall to somebody else's lab) or HPV vaccine, but the body is a complex thing, and cures usually turn out to be less than universal, with unexpected drawbacks.

Still, it sounds promising.

[Joey]

(who require you to frequently see them just so you can keep getting script refills)

While I agree with the statement 'the money's in the disease, not the cure' and giga-corps love for the disease, I find this sentiment not only incredibly insulting to the medical professionals, but incredibly lame.

    Sorry to lame you out, but as a Type 1 diabetic, I am quite tired of having to shell out $200+ just so I can get a refill on my insulin scripts -- something that I HAVE to have to live.  I've been through a few doctors, and its always been the same drill...  I'll get a script good for a couple of months, only to be told that I HAVE to come see the doctor again before they'll call in a refill.   (A visit which consists of nothing more than getting my blood pressure taken, my breathing checked out, being asked how I've been feeling, and receiving a new insulin script with only a refill or two on it.)   Other diabetics I know have related the same experience.

It's hard (and expensive) enough dealing with this disease, that I don't need the extra bullshit that is -- essentially -- constantly having to pay big bucks for prescription refills. 

[Signe]

It's not as if we can't test our blood as often as we want.  We can test nearly every thing the doctor can test.  There are some things that we could be testing ourselves except for the fact that it would make some doctors uneccesary.  Unless you're a child or mentally unstable, you can take care of yourself with diabetes and any number of other conditions.  If you choose not to, oh well.  Tough.

PS  When I'm 80, I'm going to start smoking.

[HaemishM]

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.

I don't see why they would be so easy to reject such a connection. Pain is formed in the mind, and the mind can shut the body down when it knows it needs time to heal, producing a coma. Why wouldn't a certain stimulus on nerves cause the body to produce something it thinks would help alleviate the pain of that stimulus? Fucking compartmenatlized researchers.

As for doctors, I'm not too hip on constant return visits to the doctor just for a poke, a stick, a prod and a script. I can understand the need for it, but the expense is a killer.

[Nebu]

I don't see why they would be so easy to reject such a connection.

Ego and money are the answers.  Yes, they fuck up perfectly good collaborative research too.