An early trial shows it may be possible to stop Type 1 diabetes by retraining the immune system, according to BBC News. Analysts called the results a “significant step.”
In a Type 1 diabetes patient the immune system attacks the cells responsible for making insulin—also known as the hormone that maintains blood sugar levels in the body.
According to an 80-paitient study done by researchers at the Stanford University Medical Center, it is possible for the vaccine to rewire the immune system.
Usually a vaccine is used to get the immune system to fight harder or attack a certain danger such as polio.
However, the Stanford researchers are trying to get the vaccine to do the opposite—have the immune system fight less and stop attacking a certain bodily function.
With Type 1 diabetes the immune system attacks and demolishes beta cells found in the pancreas. This translates to the body’s inability to create a sufficient amount of insulin—thus the need for life-long injections.
Type 2 Diabetes is not the same because,according to Web MD, people with type 2 diabetes actually produce insulin--it's just usually not a sufficient amount or not acknowledged by the body. Type 2 diabetes can also be aided by a poor diet.*
During the trial the vaccine specifically went after the white blood cells which target the beta cells. The patients were given injections each week for three months and saw diminished levels of the beta-attacking white blood cells once the three months were up.
According to blood tests, patients who took the vaccine showed better results than those solely on insulin. The beta cells function in the vaccinated participants was much better than those who were only on insulin. Also, the immune system was not damaged.
"We're very excited by these results, which suggest that the immunologist's dream of shutting down just a single subset of dysfunctional immune cells without wrecking the whole immune system may be attainable,” said Prof. Lawrence Steinman. "This vaccine is a new concept. It's shutting off a specific immune response."
Despite the group’s perceived success, the treatment is still at a primary stage. There needs to be studies which include much more people and analyze the effects over a longer period of time.
"For the first time we have evidence that this particular type of vaccine has an effect in preserving insulin production in humans. This is a significant step forward on the journey towards a world without type 1 diabetes,” said Karen Addington, the United Kingdom chief executive of JDRF. JDRF is a charity for Type 1 diabetes.
"We will build on this exciting DNA vaccine approach. Research into type 1 vaccines is a priority for JDRF's multimillion-pound global research program. But it is early days. Clinical use is still some time away," she added.
The research was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
*Previously it was written that Type 2 diabetes was caused by a poor diet when it is only a possible contributing factor.
