Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system begins destroying normal, healthy cells. The immune system is a part of the body that normally protects us from disease by attaching germs like viruses and bacteria, and for some unknown reason, just starts attacking normal cells. Among the cells that are destroyed are the beta cells that make insulin in the pancreas. As the beta cells are attacked, they are unable to produce insulin. A person with this type of diabetes must take insulin several times per day and constantly monitor his/her blood sugar levels. Dr. Denise Faustman of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston had found a way to cure Type 1 diabetes, at least in mice. Her research involves injecting mice with a substance called Freunds Complete Adjuvantwhich is a mixture of water, oil and parts of dead tuberculosis bacteria. This mixture then over stimulates the immune system cells that are attaching the pancreas, making those white blood cells self-destruct, stopping the bodies attach on the beta cells in the pancreas. The pancreas then cures itself. Her studies indicate that even a mouse that has had diabetes for a long time still has the capacity to develop new beta cells in the pancreas. Faustman recently attracted the attention of Lee Iococca who recently raised $11 million for her medical center for further studies of her discovery on humans. Iococcas wife died of Type 1 diabetes. Although Faustman has not started testing her discovery in humans yet, she has had a 67% cure rate in her experiments. This is great news for the millions of people afflicted with Type 1 diabetes. Imagine the millions of lives that could be greatly affected by Faustmans research. |
