Re: Innovative treatment begins clinical trials at MUHC
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Posted by curious on 12:24:42 2010/02/13
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Re: Innovative treatment begins clinical trials at MUHC posted by S.
My understanding is limited as well, however, I always thought that autoimmunity wasn't developed because of a bad protein but because of defective T-Cells that attack because they were triggered by a normal protein. If the islet transplants are occuring in Type 1 autoimmune diabetics, they will still have the active autoimmunity to the islet cells. This autoimmmunity is directly related, in my understanding, to the protein emitted by the islets. It's not the islets that are at fault here, but rather, the defective T-Cells. Dr. Faustman's research in killing off the actively rogue T-cells that attack islets goes a long way in solving this complex puzzle. The second step would be to stop any further attack once the rogue T-cells are killed off. This is where the discovery of the protein that induces a defective immune system into attacking islets becomes so valuable. As I understand it, new T-cells are always being created. Therefore, that is where this discovery of the protein comes into play, IMHO. Just as the Duke University researchers used the peanut protein to induce tolerance, this new research that has isolated the offending (but not defective) islet protein can also be used to induce tolerance. In other words, it's not the protein in either peanuts or islets that is at fault here. It is the defective immune system that is at fault and needs to learn tolerance of a protein that is quite beneficial. It doesn't matter whether or not the islets are transplanted or not, they will still cause an autoimmune response in a person with Type 1 AUTOIMMUNE diabetes.
Ås far as regeneration, I believe 5 or more separate labs have replicated Dr. Faustman's research confirming that islet regeneration does in fact occur, even in late stage autoimmune type 1 diabetes. This exsulin, in my humble opinion, would only be used if, after inducing tolerance to the islet protein and killing off active T-cells with BCG, regeneration is slow or non-existent. But I think over time, that regeneration will occur on its own as per Dr. Faustman's research so hopefully, this exsulin won't even be necessary except in Type II diabetics. If I recall correctly, pancreatic cancer is more prevalent in diabetics and I've always surmised that that is because regeneration is ongoing, but unfortunately, so is the autoimmunity. It's the autoimmunity that has to be stopped.
This is my understanding anyway.
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