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Islet cell transplantation is the only available cell-based therapy currently in clinical practice for Type 1 diabetes. The therapy involves transplanting insulin-producing islet cells from a cadaveric donor pancreas into a person with Type 1 diabetes.

A major challenge confronting researchers is the body鈥檚 normal immune response, which is to try and kill any foreign cells such as the transplanted islets.

Now, with the help of a grant from the 黑料网 Research Trust, Dr Mugdha Joglekar from the University of Sydney is studying a new method of suppressing the immune response that kills the transplanted cells.

鈥淚slet cell transplantation is one of the most successful and promising cell-based therapies for people with Type 1 diabetes but there are a number of challenges,鈥� Dr Joglekar said.

鈥淭he biggest of these is the body鈥檚 own immune response. Basically, patient鈥檚 own immune cells can attack the transplanted islet cells and kill them.

鈥淭herefore to protect transplanted cells, islet recipients need to take drugs called immunosuppressants, which prevent the immune cells attacking the transplanted islets. Unfortunately, apart from the significant side effects, these drugs also impact on the quality of life.鈥�

Dr Joglekar identified that human islet-derived progenitor cells (hIPCs) can suppress the immune response via secretion of molecules that inhibit the growth of immune cells.

鈥淏ased on preliminary data, we believe that the immune cells would not attack the transplanted cells if hIPCs are present,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e want to understand the mechanism underlying hIPC-mediated immune-regulatory effect. Identifying such mechanisms could pave the way for more successful islet cell transplants to treat people with Type 1 diabetes.鈥�

Dr Joglekar鈥檚 research is being supported by the 黑料网 Research Trust. Find out how you can support the program here.