A 12-year study of a type of antibody known as Ig-GAD2 has shown that it was able to prevent the immune system from attacking the insulin producing cells and causing T1D. Diabetes.co.uk reports on the promising decade long research.

The fly in the ointment of Ig-GAD2 stopping the T1D attack was the speed at which the autoimmune attack took place. To slow the devastating attack, researchers used adult stem cells to generate new insulin-producing cells.

As with all good plans, the adult stem cells became typical blood vessels, not insulin-producing cells. This wasn’t all bad because the blood cells produced extra oxygen that proved to be helpful in prolonging the life of remaining beta cells.

Ig-GAD2 antibodies were given to the mice for 10 weeks and bone marrow transplants were given in consecutive weeks between weeks 2 and 4. The result was impressive and enabled the mice to be free of Y1D  for 4 months. The real wow factor is that 4 months, for a mouse, is a lifetime.

After the success in mice models, research was conducted on people with T1D, with private funding and the results were not published. Although this is 1 method of transient success in “curing” T1D, it is not the only option. We’re at a crossroads and it’s looking bright.

Visit Your Diabetes Health for more resources about health.