Diabetic Live

New System Could Convert Cells Into Making Insulin: Diabetes is a disease of the body that incurs when a person does not have enough pancreatic beta cells, to produce the necessary insulin which is used to regulate their blood sugar levels.

As it stands right now, there is one standard treatment for diabetic patients and that’s insulin therapy. Insulin therapy works by supplying the patient with insulin so that blood sugar levels can be maintained, thereby reducing the risk of high blood sugar levels that cause a number of various diabetic complications such as neuropathy.

With advancements being made all the time in scientific medicine, researchers began to wonder what would happen if they tried to persuade other cells within the body to become pancreatic beta cells. The answer became quite clear when researchers from UCLA’s Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center took the scope from asking the question to making it a reality. The researchers found an underlying mechanism that can transform other cells into pancreatic beta cells.

While insulin therapy does work as an effective treatment, pancreatic beta cells are a potential cure for diabetes.

“Our work shows that beta cells and related endocrine cells can easily be converted into each other,” notes study co-author Dr. Anil Bhushan, an associate professor of medicine in the endocrinology division at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and in the UCLA Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology.

Throughout history, cells have been construed as being set in place and unable to change or switched to other cells. However, recent studies have proved something much different. This has launched further understanding into what mechanism allows this to happen.

Chemical tags named “methyl groups” are connected to DNA; these chemical tags can turn up and down the activity of different, particular genes. Methyl groups are very important when it comes to understanding how cells can be transformed into pancreatic beta cells. Methyl groups keep a gene called ARX, which triggers the formation of glucagon-secreting alpha cells in the embryonic pancreas, which cannot be seen in beta cells. By deleting an enzyme called Dnmt1 from the insulin-producing beta cells, they can be transformed into alpha cells.

“We show that the basis for this conversion depends not on genetic sequences but on modifications to the DNA that dictates how the DNA is wrapped within the cell,” Bhushan notes. “We think this is crucial to understanding how to convert a variety of cell types, including stem cells, into functional beta cells.”

Artificial Pancreas May Improve Overnight Control of Diabetes in Adults: New trial studies show suggest that an artificial pancreas, also known as closed loop insulin delivery could advance overnight blood glucose control. The studies also show a reduction in nocturnal hypoglycemia, which is a sudden drop of blood glucose levels in the night for patients who have Type 1 diabetes.

Diabetes is a very common illness among the population. Just alone, the United States has more than 26 million diabetic patients. Patients range from women to men, to small children. Diabetes does not pick and choose, it affects everyone. In today’s world, genetics has very little to do with whether or not a person becomes a diabetic. Although the risk factors are greater, with diabetes in an individual’s family history. Diabetes increases yearly and right now the illness stands at a rate of 3 percent of people developing diabetes yearly.

Those who have Type 1 diabetes know that it is no secret that, in order to control diabetes, insulin must be administered. It is a life-long process and while medical science has made some pretty amazing diabetic breakthroughs, it is a pattern that must completed on a daily basis. In order for blood glucose levels to be controlled, a person must use insulin. While this is a common annoyance to those with type 1 diabetes, it is not uncommon for patients to make the best of it and take their insulin. However, when it comes to the night, patients are sleeping. A common problem occurs during the night with many patients, a drop in glucose levels known as hypoglycemia.

Due to the growing issues, researchers have made advances to try and keep those glucose levels maintained. The development of a closed loop insulin delivery, also known as an artificial pancreas has become the answer to so many health issues that result from low blood glucose levels. A closed loop insulin delivery system automatically records insulin dose judging by glucose levels, which are detected by a sensor. Through studies, the system has proven effective on teens and children alike. However, the effect the system has on adults remains unknown.

This trial study was led by Roman Hovorka of the University of Cambridge, who instructed a team of researchers. It consisted of two studies, so that comparison and efficiency of the overnight closed loop insulin delivery with conventional insulin pump therapy in adults with type 1 diabetes could be completed.

Within this trial 24 adults (10 men and 14 women) between the ages of 18 and 65 were studied upon. Every patient has used insulin pump therapy for the previous three months.

Glucose levels increased by 28 percent, with overnight patients who were using the closed loop insulin delivery.

Through this study, evidence was provided that help to prove that an overnight closed loop delivery can work both safely and effectively to help patients sleep better without have their glucose levels drop in the night.

Researchers of this study admit that the closed loop delivery, “may in the future allow more flexible lifestyles in conjunction with improved glycemic control for people with type 1 diabetes.”

Clinical Trial Finds Weight Loss Through An Experimental Drug: Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found that an investigational combination of drugs that are used to treat epilepsy, migraine and obesity is producing a 10 percent weight loss in patients who were suffering from obesity during a one-year clinical trial.

The treatment was also helpful in other health areas as well. For example, the controlled-release combination therapy, which consists of topiramate and phentermine were also helpful in decreasing blood pressure and hemoglobin A1C levels. Cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammatory markers were also improved during the clinical trial.

“Patients receiving this combination experienced 8.6 percent greater weight loss, on average, compared to those patients receiving placebo,” stated Kishore M. Gadde, M.D., director of Duke’s obesity clinical trials program. “This kind of weight loss, coupled with significant reductions in cardiometabolic risk factors represents a potentially important advancement in the management of obesity.”

Presently, the only drug available for long-term obesity is Orlistat. Orlistat is available over-the-counter known as Alli, and in a prescription strength known as Xenical. During studies, Orlistat, used at its maximum strength has shown a seven pound weight loss over placebos.

“The combination drug achieves about 19 pounds of weight loss relative to placebo at one year,” Gadde says.

During the 56-week trial, 3 studies were conducted in 93 U.S. Centers with more than 2400 patients who all had a BMI of 27-45 kg/m2 and who also had two or more health issues such as heart disease or diabetes. The patients were randomly drawn to either receive either one/two low-dose drug combinations or a placebo. The drugs used in the trial were phentermine, which has been available for treatment of short-term obesity since 1959, and topirmate, which is also known as Topamax. The patients in this study were also offered advice about exercise and diet.

Vivus funded this clinical trial who is also trying to get Qnexa, the name of the combination therapy to be approved by the FDA.  It was first declined in October 2010 because the FDA ruled that the drug could not be approved in its current form. The FDA needed more safety data about the drug. In March of 2011, a warming was issued by the FDA stating that women who were pregnant and taking topirmate were more at risk for having babies that were born with cleft palate or cleft lip. The drug has also been associated with depression, anxiety, mood changes, and memory problems.

During the Qnexa clinical trials, 34 women became pregnant. Gadde states that, “No birth defects were reported for the babies born.” Gadde also stated, “There is no reason for women to use weight loss drugs while they are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.”

Broken down, the study used once-daily doses of the combined drugs listed below.

Phentermine 7.5mg plus Topiramate CR 46mg achieved 7.8 percent weight loss (p<0.0001 vs. placebo).

Phentermine 15mg plus topiramate CR 92mg achieved 9.8 percent weight loss (p<0.0001 vs. placebo). The placebo group experienced 1.2 percent weight loss.

The highest advance in cardiovascular disease and diabetes were seen in high-risk patients among the groups given placebo, phentermine 7.5mg plus topiramate 40mg, or phentermine 15mg plus topiramate 92mg individually:

• Systolic blood pressure: -4.9mmHg, -6.9mmHg, -9.1mmHg
• Diastolic blood pressure: -3.9mmHg, -5.2mmHg, -5.8mmHg
• Total cholesterol: -4.9%, -5.7%, -7.8%
• LDL: -3.6%, 0.7%, -4.3%
• HDL: 2.8%, 9.5%, 10.7%
• Triglycerides: -8.8%, -24.1%, -25.6%
• Hemoglobin A1C in diabetics: -0.1%, -0.4%, -0.4%
• Fasting insulin in pre-diabetics: 6.0pmol/L, -29.2pmol/L, -31.9pmol/LM

The most common side effects in the groups given placebo, phentermine 7.5mg plus topiramate 40mg, or phentermine 15mg plus topiramate 92mg, individually were:

• Dry mouth (2%, 13% and 21%)
• Parethesia (numbness or tingling), (2%, 14%, 21%)
• Constipation (6%, 15%, 17%)
• Insomnia (5%, 6%, 10%)
• Dizziness (3%, 7%, 10%)
• Dysgeusia (distorted sense of taste) (1%, 7%, 10%)

“Although the overall incidence of these events was relatively small,” Gadde says, “clearly there is a dose-related increase in risk.”

“Two thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. For obese patients who have failed to achieve meaningful weight loss with diet and exercise, we have just one treatment before jumping to bariatric surgery. We need more treatment options.”

Possible New Non-Insulin Treatment Found For Type 1 Diabetes: While Type 2 diabetes is more common, many patients find themselves becoming diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Through-out many years, Type 2 diabetic patients have been placed on a strict diet and exercise regime while patients with Type 1 diabetes are often treated with insulin injections. In fact, Type 1 diabetes affects more than 1 million people within the U.S. who have to take multiple injections of insulin to metabolize their blood sugar.

Now, thanks to the researchers as UT Southwestern Medical Center, a hormone pathway has been discovered that could be the gateway toward treating Type 1 diabetes without insulin.

Fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) was found with insulin-like features but does not cause an excess of glucose that turns to fat. This means that this FGF19 could help treat patients with Type 1 diabetes and it could help patients who are suffering from obesity.

“The fundamental discovery is that there is a pathway that exists that is required for the body, after a meal, to store glucose in the liver and drive protein synthesis. That pathway is independent of insulin,” said Dr. David Mangelsdorf, Chairman of Pharmacology at UT Southwestern.

Both Dr. Mangelsdorf and Dr. Kliewer, a professor of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology at UT Southwestern are co-senior authors of this study. Dr. Kliewer himself has been researching FGF19 since he discovered its connection with metabolism eight years ago.

The hormone fibroblast growth factors works by controlling nutrient metabolism. These factors are released when bile acid appears in the small intestine. These bile acids are produced by the liver, which are then broken down into fats in the body.

“FGF19 does not make fat, and that’s one of the effects that separates it from insulin. Insulin also does not really have a dramatic effect on bile acid synthesis. So, the two pathways are different even though they both function in glycogen and protein synthesis,” said Dr. Mangelsdorf, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at the medical center.

While using mice, the two researchers tried to manipulate FGF19 as an alternative to insulin therapy, but some pretty grave side effects occurred. First, this mice’s liver grew in size before developing cancer. Another promising diabetes treatment did appear however. This treatment involves the nuclear acid receptor FXR. Modulators of FXR have been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides in preclinical models.

Retinopathy Can Be Identified 10 Years Before It Happens: Diabetes affects more than 24 million people every single day in the United States, men, women and children are all affects. By this time next year, another million will be diagnosed with diabetes while another million walk around unknowable daily without symptoms but still have diabetes. Diabetic patients living with poor control of and high blood glucose levels are more likely to have eye-related complications within ten years.

When a person has diabetes, they are dealing with some very high glucose levels. These high levels are associated with mircovascular complications, which includes retinopathy.

“However, some controversy concerns the actual value of this glycemic threshold for identifying retinopathy,” the authors of states. “It is now well established that the non-diabetic population also has retinopathy, albeit at a lower frequency than patients with diabetes and in a milder form, indicating that there may be factors other than fasting plasma glucose levels that increase the risk of retinopathy.”

The retinas of 700 men and women were examined by Pascale Massin, M.D., Ph.D., of Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, and colleagues in the Data From an Epidemiological Study on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome (DESIR) Study Group. Nine years of research saw that fasting plasma glucose levels and hemoglobin A1C has also been tracked. During this study, 235 patients were diabetic, 227 patients have impaired fasting plasma glucose levels and 238 have glucose levels within the normal limits. Among the participants, 44 patients had retinopathy which included 19 who were diagnosed with diabetes, 19 who has impaired fasting levels and 6 who has normal glucose levels. When compared with patients that did not have retinopathy, conditions where in higher levels of fasting plasma glucose ten years previous.

“Levels of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose at baseline were related to the presence of retinopathy 10 years later, and the levels at which the positive predictive values increased provide a rationale for the choice of thresholds for the definition of hyperglycemia associated with 10-year retinopathy,” the authors write. “We propose that thresholds of 108 milligrams per deciliter for fasting plasma glucose concentration and 6.0 percent for HbA1c level could be used to define those who are at risk of retinopathy; this is in agreement with our observation of a risk of retinopathy within the impaired fasting glucose range (fasting plasma glucose level, 110 milligrams per deciliter or higher).”

“Factors other than glucose measures play only a minor role in retinopathy,” they conclude.

Research Shows Safflower Oil Helping Type 2 Diabetics: Safflower oil, which can be found in many kitchens around the world, is finding its name on headlines this week. Thanks to a recent study, a person who takes a daily dose of safflower oil for 16 weeks can improve cholesterol levels, insulin sensitivity and blood sugar. It is also helpful in women who are obese postmenopausal and have type 2 diabetes.

Eighteen months prior, researchers found that safflower was also helpful in decreasing abdominal fat and increasing muscle tissue. It is also in association with increased health in patients suffering from metabolic syndrome, which have a cluster of symptoms from heart disease to diabetes.

With this study, the chief researcher suggested that a person suffering from cardiovascular disease or at risk for the disease could safely lessen their risk or symptoms by taking a daily dose of 1 2/3 teaspoons of safflower oil.

Martha Belury, professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University said, “The women in the study didn’t replace what was in their diet with safflower oil. They added it to what they were already doing. And that says to me that certain people need a little more of this type of good fat — particularly when they’re obese women who already have diabetes. I believe these findings suggest that people consciously make sure they get a serving of healthy oil in their diets each day- maybe an oil and vinegar dressing on a salad, or some oil for cooking. And this recommendation can be extended to everyone.”

When broken down, safflower oil is found to have linoleic acid, a poly saturated fatty acid. In the 1960’s research suggested that dietary oils from plants could help prevent heart disease. However, in recent years Omega-3 fish oils have gained huge popularity of fatty oils like safflower oil.

“The health benefits of omega-3 PUFAs seem convincing, but I think there’s also a place for omega-6 PUFAs. We’ve known for a long time that polyunsaturated oils are very beneficial for cardiovascular disease prevention, and these data we are adding now show that these oils can also help with other aspects of metabolic syndrome, including even glycemic control, we suspect it could be through a mechanism that is not yet identified.” Belury commented.

During the research, scientists performed secondary analysis of the data that has been collected within the trial. They checked to see how long it took for effects to be seen. Every four weeks, blood samples were taken. Sixteen weeks later, a reduction was noted in total body fat and body mass index as well.

“We don’t know the long-term effects of safflower oil from this study alone, but I certainly think it’s possible that the risk for cardiovascular problems could be significantly decreased in this high-risk group if supplementation were continued,” Belury said.

Diabetic Blindness Could Be Prevented By Statin: A popular drug known as Statin (brand name, Lipitor) may help diabetic patients who are suffering from blindness, suggests a New University of Georgia study.

Over 26 million people in America have been diagnosed with diabetes and diabetes retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in adults. Diabetic retinopathy usually begins to happen when a patient has had diabetes for 10-15 years. Currently, no FDA-approved oral treatments can be found for those suffering from diabetic retinopathy and surgery is very painful and very expensive.

A study led by lead author Azza El-Remessy, an assistant professor in the University Of Georgia College Of Pharmacy, used diabetic rats to perform statin tests on. They found that the statins prevented free radicals in the retina from killing nerves, which are essential in maintaining vision.

With uncontrolled and excessive glucose, the introduction of free radicals becomes a huge problem. When free radicals appear in the retina, the eye releases a protein called pro-nerve growth factor. This factor matures into a nerve growth factor in an attempt to protect the retinal nerves. The free radicals generated by diabetes however, prevent this growth from happening, which ultimately leads to impaired neuronal function.

By using the rates and isolated retinal cells displayed in high glucose, El-Remessy and colleagues found that the drug atovastation blocked the formation of free radicals in the retina. Due to the blockage, pro-nerve growth factor was successfully able to mature into the nerve growth factor and preserved the neurons in the retina.

El-Remessy said, “It removed the break on the pro-form nerve growth factor to develop into its mature form,” she said. The drug was orally administered to rats in doses proportional to levels given to human patients with cardiovascular problems.

El-Remessy and her colleagues also found that a component within green tea called epicathecin is also helpful in the prevention of adverse affects on the pro-nerve growth factor in the retina. It will not affect the maturing from pro-nerve growth factor to nerve growth factor, but it regulates a receptor used by the pro-nerve growth factor that sends a signal to kill the neuron.

“We are still getting the same result, that we are preventing neuronal death and restoring neuronal function, but just in a different way,” said El-Remessy.

This study found great theoretical treatments for the eye, but it also was helpful for the rest of the body as well, which are continuously affected by diabetes.

“Diabetic patients need to protect the nerves beyond vision. El-Remessy stated.

El-Remessy study does not end her; she hopes to find treatment for other parts of the body dealing with the imbalance of pro-nerve growth factor as well. “If proNGF accumulates in the eyes in diabetes, I can imagine that it accumulates in the nerve endings in the skin, in the foot, in the hand and in the brain… everywhere,” she said.

This study was backed by the American Heart Association, which is making a difference from those suffering from diabetes.

Chicago’s home town band, Ovrevolt, is hosting a fund raiser on May 6th at Real Time Sports Bar in St. Charles, from 6pm-1am. Ovrevolt (pronounced Over-volt) has 2 goals, one is to produce dynamic high energy music, and the other is to help the community by donating 100% of all profits from their performances to charity. Gary Kouba, the drummer in Ovrevolt came up with the idea of doing a large scale fund raiser for JDRF. Real Time Sports will provide free pizza and all bands are donating their time for this worthy cause. The band line up is Friction, Ovrevolt, AVM band and Skin Walker.

Over 3 million Americans have Type 1 Diabetes, and over 30,000 people are newly diagnosed each year. Diabetes is the single greatest expense on our health care system. Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects every organ. People with Type 1 face many challenges, including possible long term effects like kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness and amputations. Type 1 is not caused by obesity or consuming too much sugar and a person cannot out grow Type 1 Diabetes. Insulin injections are necessary to keep type 1 diabetics alive, however insulin does not sure diabetes nor does it prevent its complications.

Since JDRF was founded in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to diabetes research. More than .85 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and researched related education. JDRF is the leading charitable funder and advocate for Type 1 Diabetes worldwide.

If you cannot attend the fund raiser on May 6th, you are encouraged to send a check payable to JDRF to
Gary Kouba
255 Heritage DR
Roselle IL 60172

NOTE, THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES!!!!!!!!
SO TEENS ARE WELCOME!!!
……………………

You will get a tax receipt for a deduction on your income tax for donations.

Please come out and have some fun, and help us find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes in our lifetime.

Diabetes: The Cause Of Blood Vessel Damage: More than 26 million people across American suffer from diabetes and by the time this year is up, another million will be diagnosed as well.

Damaged blood vessels are such a growing problem in diabetic patients that heart attacks, strokes and amputations are becoming more common daily. Thanks to the researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, a significant mechanism is said to be the contributor to the damage of blood vessels in diabetic patients.

According to this study, mice have shown damage which involved two enzymes, fatty acid synthase (FAS) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which interacted in the cells that line the blood vessel walls.

Here is what Xiaochao Wei, Ph.D said, “We already knew that in diabetes there’s a defect in the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. People with diabetes also have depressed levels of fatty acid synthase. But this is the first time we’ve been able to link those observations together.”

Wei is a postdoctoral research scholar in the lab of Clay F. Semenkovich, MD, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine. He studied the mice which had been genetically engineered so that would make FAS in their tissue, which are the endothelial cells that line blood vessels. The mice began experiencing problems in their vessels, which was compared to the same problems animals experience when they have diabetes.

“It turns out that there are strong parallels between the complete absence of FAS and the deficiencies in FAS induced by lack of insulin and by insulin resistance.” stated Semenkovich

When comparing the FASTie mice to normal animals, even other mice, Semenkovich and Wei found out that mice without FAS could not make the substance that attaches nitric oxide synthase to the endothelial cells in blood vessels.

“We’ve known for many years that to have an effect, NOS has to be anchored to the wall of the vessel,” said Semenkovich. “Xiaochao discovered that fatty acid synthase preferentially makes a lipid that attaches to NOS, allowing it to hook to the cell membrane and to produce normal, healthy blood vessels.”

Throughout the study, the Fastie mice blood vessels grew leaky and even became injured and were not able to regenerate new blood vessel growth, in some cases.

The significant mechanism that attaches NOS to the endothelial cells is called palmitoylation. If it were not for the FAS, the mice would lose the NOS palmitoylation, which would make the mice incapable of NOS modification. It would not be able to attach to the endothelial cell membrane, causing major damage to the blood vessels.

In an explanation given by Semekovich, he says, “In animals that don’t have fatty acid synthase and normal nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells, we saw a lot of leaky blood vessels. The mice also were more susceptible to the consequences of infection, and they couldn’t repair damage that occurred — problems that also tend to be common in people with diabetes.”

Trying different things during the study, researchers interrupted blood flow to the normal leg of a normal mouse and a FASTie mouse. Semenkovich states what happened, “”The control animals regained blood vessel formation promptly but that did not happen in the animals that were modified to be missing fatty acid synthase.”

Just because this is how it works in mice does not mean it will work the same in humans. So researchers looked toward human endothelial cells next. They found the same significant mechanism that was found in the mice.

“Our findings strongly suggest that if we can use a drug or another enzyme to promote fatty acid synthase activity, specifically in blood vessels, it might be helpful to patients with diabetes. We also have been able to demonstrate that palmitoylation of nitric oxide synthase is impaired in diabetes, and if we can find a way to promote the palmitoylation of NOS, even independent of fatty acid synthase, it may be possible to treat some of the vascular complications of diabetes.” Wei states.

According to the researchers, it shouldn’t matter if a person has type 1 diabetes and has become resistant to insulin or has type 2 diabetes

Semenkovich says “That’s one of the key findings. It won’t matter whether it’s an absence of insulin or resistance to insulin: both are associated with defects in FAS.”