NHS researchers are about to test a stem cell treatment for diabetic kidney disease. If the research is successful it may help save the lives of thousands of people worldwide. The NHS Blood and Transplant section will use stromal stem cells in the trial, which involves patients from around the world.
Stromal stem cells can change into a variety of cell types including cartilage cells, fat cells and bone cells. Stromal stem cells can also help regulate a patient’s immune system responses. Scientists believe that the stromal stem cell’s ability to affect the immune system that may be of use on the stem cell treatment for diabetic kidney disease.
Scientists working at the NHS Blood and Transplant site have gathered millions of stromal stem cells for use in the upcoming research. Diabetic kidney disease is a very common diabetes-related complication and kills thousands of people each year. Diabetes itself is very common with more than 2.7 million people diagnosed with diabetes each year in England.
High blood sugar levels in diabetes patients reduce the amount of blood flowing to the kidney, which in turn damages kidney tissue.
Professor Timothy O’Brien, the project leader of the research project is confident that this new stem cell treatment for diabetic kidney disease will be effective. Dr O’Brien says of the research “We are confident that by harnessing the most modern approaches in stromal cell therapeutics there may well be a way to halt the progression of diabetic kidney disease using this therapy.”
The patients from the United Kingdom participating in the trial will undertake their treatments at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
The process of patients will be measured by blood and urine samples. Researchers hope that the stromal cells may be able to completely halt the progress of the disease.
Source: Diabetes breakthrough: New stem cells that can halt kidney disease about to be tested
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