Breakthrough stem-cell transplant in China offers hope for Type 1 diabetes

Adipose tissue cells from the patient were reprogrammed into stem cells, converted to islet cells, and transplanted back, eliminating the risk of immune rejection as they were from her own body

Chinese researchers have achieved a major medical milestone by using cell transplants to treat a patient with type 1 diabetes. After a groundbreaking surgery that lasted only 30 minutes and represents a global first, a 25-year-old woman began regulating her blood sugar naturally two and a half months post-surgery, according to a report by Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper.

A team of researchers from Tianjin First Central Hospital and Peking University published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Cell last week.

Advanced technique uses patient's own cells

Traditionally, type 1 diabetes patients undergo islet transplants, where insulin-producing cells from deceased donors are placed into the liver. However, this method is limited by a shortage of suitable donors. The innovative new treatment, developed by a team from Tianjin First Central Hospital and Peking University, employed "chemically induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived islets" (CiPSC islets).

In this process, adipose tissue cells from the patient were reprogrammed into stem cells and then converted into islet cells, which were transplanted back into her body. Because the cells were derived from her own tissue, there was no risk of immune rejection.

The patient, who had struggled with severe blood sugar fluctuations and hypoglycemia for years, saw dramatic improvements. Following the transplant, her fasting blood glucose levels stabilized, and her reliance on external insulin gradually decreased until she no longer needed injections. Five months after the procedure, her blood sugar remained in the optimal range 98 per cent of the time.

At the one-year follow-up, there were no signs of complications, and the research team noted that the results met all clinical endpoints. This success opens the door for further exploration of CiPSC islet transplants in treating type 1 diabetes.

The team, in a paper, stated, "The clinical data met all study endpoints with no indication of transplant-related abnormalities. Promising results from this patient suggest that further clinical studies assessing CiPSC islet transplant in type 1 diabetes are warranted."

(With agency inputs)