StemCell Therapy

Your bodys immune system is always on guard on the lookout for anything foreign that might have entered your body. When it detects an invader, it attacks. So when islet cells are transplanted from a donor pancreas into a patient, the patients immune system wants to destroy, or reject those foreign cells.

To protect the cells from attack, the patient takes anti-rejection drugs, also called immunosuppressants. As that word implies, these drugs suppress the immune system. The problem: you must take these powerful drugs for life. A suppressed immune system exposes the patient to infections and diseases. And, the drugs themselves can cause harmful side effects.

Thats why the DRI and our collaborators worldwide are so focused on finding better ways to protect the transplanted cells in the BioHub. Were investigating several methods to accomplish this, including preventing inflammation at the site of the transplant,using helper cells that offer natural defenses, protecting cells by wrapping them in a tight coating, and delivering lowdose anti-rejection drugs locally, only at the site of the transplant.

And theres another critical issue with the immune system. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system sees your bodys own islet cells as foreign and destroys them. This is called autoimmunity. When islet cells are transplanted, the recipient could experience a recurrence of autoimmunity. DRI researchers are working to stop this attack from happening again.

Preventing Inflammation - Blocking the signals that trigger an immune response.

Adding Helper Cells -- Using the BioHub to give islets a helping hand.

Cell Encapsulation Trying to hide islet cells from the immune system.

Local Drug Delivery -- Delivering drugs only to where theyre needed, not throughout the entire body.

Immune Tolerance Educating the immune system to accept islet cells.

Learn more about thedevelopment of the BioHub mini organ to restore natural insulin production in those living with diabetes. Watch the BioHub video>>

Those who receive islet transplants must take immunosuppressive -- or "anti-rejection" -- drugs to prevent their immune system from rejecting the newly transplanted islets. DRI researchers are working on strategies to eliminate the need for these drugs.

Read more:
Diabetes Research: The Immune System

This entry was posted on December 5, 2016 at 10:48 am and is filed under Immune System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |