<< Subject: diabetes gene
From: Brandy Glowacz bglowacz at voyager.net
Date: Tue, Jun 27, 2000 4:02 AM
Message-id: <3958275f$0$1497$44a10c7e at news.net-link.net>
so, when will they find a cure for my diabetes???
>>
You're question is both complicated and political
If you have the Insulin Dependent(Juvenile kind), then perhaps soon----perhaps
not! As many as 8-9 years ago scientists in this area were thinking of
Pancreatic beta cell transplants. The problem was one of matching antigens so
ther would be minimal risk to rejecting the implant without suppressing the
patients immune system which may lead to increased risk of cancer.. Today that
may be circumvented by new methods of inserting the insulin gene in a patients
own cells and reimplanting them in the patient. The human gene inserted would,
of course be a human insulin gene. Another method of promise would be to
derive stem cells from the patient capable of differentiating into beta
pancreatic cells. This has been tried with 2/3rd of the patients(very small
number) no longer dependent on insulin. However, a patient died in such a
genetic engineering experiment in Alzheimer's and such tests have been
suspended until an investigation can be completed.
The insertion of any human gene with its controller elements shouldn't be a
problem. The gene, aclept as preproinsulin is normall processed into the
mature form of insulin in two /3 quick steps. Genetic analysis of the amino
acid sequence of the mature amino acid sequence shows very few mutations and
some of the mutations are changes that prevent maturation.. There is a genetic
component(s) and autoimmunity may be a problem in some patients. It has been
demonstrated tht some viruses attack and destroy beta cells in some patients.
The virus may have antigens that stimulate the immune systen directly to
destroy infect beta cells containing the virus or the disintegration of beta
cells somehow stimulates an autoimmune response..
Type !!(adult form) is a insulin receptor problem where diet/ exercise can be
used(in most cases) to control the disease.
Since the research on diabetes is conducted by government grants or by funds
collected and distributed by the Diabetes Foundation, it is my opinion(only
mine) that the funds to have the necessary surgery should be done by insurance
funds and/or kept to managable proportions within the financial means of most
patients. But then some opinions don't count for much.
I haven't been teaching in genetics now for 4 years so others may differ in
their opinions on this issue, and if so, you may expect to hear from them.
