In a promising scientific breakthrough in the field of diabetes treatment, researchers announced at the International Transplant Congress in London that they have successfully manufactured human pancreatic insulin-producing cells using 3D printing technology as a development that could revolutionize treatment for type 1 diabetes. This innovative method utilizes “bio-ink” developed from decellularized human pancreatic tissue combined with alginate, a substance derived from seaweed.
These printed cells remained alive and functional for up to three weeks in laboratory conditions, maintaining their ability to respond to glucose and produce insulin effectively. According to the researchers, the printed cells demonstrated higher efficiency compared to traditionally isolated islet cells when exposed to glucose. They also maintained their structure and stability without clumping or breaking down.
A major advantage of this technique lies in the transplantation method. Unlike conventional transplants that require infusing cells into the liver, the 3D-printed cells can be implanted under the skin through a simple procedure using local anesthesia — making it a safer and more comfortable option for patients. The team is currently testing the printed cells in animal models and exploring long-term storage solutions to make the therapy widely available as an off-the-shelf alternative to daily insulin injections.
Dr. Quentin Perrier, head of the research team from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, stated that this is one of the first studies to use actual human islet cells instead of animal cells in bio-printing opening the door to a ready-to-use therapy that could transform the lives of diabetes patients.
Meanwhile, European laboratories have reported a significant milestone in genetic engineering. Researchers from the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands successfully used a new gene editing tool to correct mutations in mitochondrial DNA and the "powerhouses" of cells responsible for energy production.
Unlike traditional gene editing tools such as CRISPR, which struggle to penetrate mitochondrial membranes, the new tool known as DdCBE employs a different mechanism using an inactive bacterial toxin as its molecular scissors instead of the commonly used Cas protein. The tool is delivered into cells via tiny lipid particles, a method similar to that used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The team successfully disrupted a gene function in the mitochondria of liver cells, representing a major step toward treating inherited mitochondrial disorders often affecting vital organs such as the brain, heart, liver, muscles, and kidneys.
Together, these two studies offer new hope in the medical field and one bringing us closer to a long-awaited solution for diabetes, and the other targeting rare genetic disorders that have so far lacked effective treatment.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/
