About 1 in 10 adults around the world are living with type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes also have a 2–4 times higher risk of developing heart disease or stroke. As the number of people living with type 2 diabetes continues to rise, it’s important to know what treatment options are available and what new techniques are being developed.
Currently, treatment for type 2 diabetes depends on how serious the condition is. For people with early stages, simple changes– such as eating balanced meals and increasing physical activity- are recommended. These steps can help delay or even prevent the disease from getting worse.
But as type 2 diabetes becomes more severe and long-term, stronger treatments may be needed. Medications like metformin, and in some cases insulin injections, help control blood sugar levels and prevent dangerously high blood sugar.
Insulin is a hormone produced by beta cells located in the pancreas- beta cells are like insulin factories. Insulin has a main role in managing high blood sugar. That’s why insulin injections are a helpful treatment for type 2 diabetes. However, insulin therapy has its challenges. If the doses are not given correctly, blood sugar can become either too high or too low. Also, people need to inject insulin multiple times a day.
To overcome these challenges, researchers have been studying a new technique called islet transplantation, which involves transplanting entire islet cells, containing beta cells, into the patient’s body. Therefore, insulin- producing beta cells can be placed in the pancreas. Although this technique developed mostly for people with type 1 diabetes, it also is being considered for people with late-stage type 2 diabetes who have lost much of their beta-cell function. One major challenge is the shortage of donor islets.
To solve this problem, scientists have found a way to create new beta cells from stem cells. In the lab, Stem cells can be turned into beta cells. These stem-cell-derived beta cells could provide a new source for transplantation. Clinical trials are already testing whether these cells are safe and effective for people whose bodies can no longer produce enough insulin. Some case reports describing adults with type 2 diabetes on insulin injections who no longer needed the injections after getting islet cells made from their own pancreas are a cause for optimism regarding this approach.
Scientists are working on improving islet transplantation. In the future, people with diabetes may not have to rely on insulin injections or even other medications to maintain healthy glucose levels.
This article was developed in partnership with Diabetes Action Canada as part of the Canadian National Graduate Course in Islet Biology and Diabetes hosted by the University Toronto (BCH2140).
About the author
Woojung Kim
Woojung is a graduate student in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Her research in the Krentz Lab focuses on understanding the genetics of type 2 diabetes, with a particular interest in understanding how variants impact beta-cell function.