Study: Stem Cells May Reverse Type 1 Diabetes Apr 17, 2009
The scientists traced blood levels of a protein, C-peptide, that beta cells produce, in order to confirm that whatever remaining beta cells the patient had were now able to grow again and repopulate the pancreas and produce insulin. Sure enough, levels of C-peptide rose in 20 of the 23 patients; 12 were able to stay off insulin therapy for three years, and eight needed only intermittent help from insulin treatments during the five-year study period. (Time.com)
Stem Cells May Free Diabetics From Insulin Apr 17, 2009
In some patients the levels of C-peptide, a component that is a result of insulin being produced, tripled. Type 1 diabetes occurs when a patients immune system attacks itself and begins destroying cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that keeps blood sugar levels even. (Newsmax)
Stem cells 'can treat diabetes' Apr 16, 2009
To measure its effectiveness, team from Northwestern University in the US and the Regional Blood Centre in Brazil, looked at levels of C-peptides, which show how well the body is producing insulin ... He added: "we would like to see this experiment carried out with a control group for comparison of results and a longer-term follow up in a greater number of people. "It is important that the researchers look at the causes of the apparent improvement in insulin production and C-peptide levels in... (BBC News -- Science)
Stem Cell Transplantation Helps Patients With Diabetes Become Insulin Free Apr 16, 2009
15, 2009) The majority of patients with type 1 diabetes who underwent a certain type of stem cell transplantation became insulin free, several for more than three years, with good glycemic control, and also increased C-peptide levels, an indirect measure of beta-cell function, according to a new study ... Clinical evidence indicates that there is an inverse association between beta-cell (a type of cell in the pancreas that secretes insulin) preservation and function and chronic complications of... (Science Daily)
Stem Cells Buy Freedom from Insulin for Type 1 Diabetics Apr 16, 2009
And, the authors stated, increased C-peptide levels indicated that the pancreas' beta cells were alive and well ... Not only were blood sugar levels normalized among those individuals who no longer needed outside insulin or needed less outside insulin; C-peptide levels rose significantly. (MEDLINEplus)
Transplant frees diabetics from insulin Apr 15, 2009
In both the continuous and transient-insulin independent groups, the level of C-peptide, a marker that shows the presence of the body's own produced insulin, was significantly greater at 24 and 36 months post-transplant than pre-transplant levels. Story Tools. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
2 Markers Predict Survival Odds in Colon Cancer Patients Feb 7, 2009
Previous studies have shown that women with early breast cancer and high levels of insulin and C-peptide along with metabolic syndrome are more likely to see a recurrence of their disease and to die ... The two with the stronger association, one harmful (C-peptide) and one protective (IGFBP-1), turned out to be key ... Meanwhile, those with the highest levels of plasma C-peptide had an 87 percent greater chance of dying overall and a 50 percent greater chance of dying from colon cancer than... (MEDLINEplus)
