Diabetes is a serious and growing health problem worldwide. This is a persistent health condition that arises when the body is incapable of adequately controlling the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Each year, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) rises. It is expected that this figure will escalate to 6.93 million by the year 2045 . Diabetes holds two types which vary in their mode of action on the human body. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an immune system infection, and insusceptible assaults result in the obliteration of islet cells, causing islet aggravation related to outright insulin lack. Eventually, several related complications arise, compromising the patient’s quality of life and reducing their durability. Around 90% of adults with diabetes are diagnosed with the most common form of diabetes, known as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (3). The leading causes of diabetes are the malfunctioning of islet cells and the body’s reduced sensitivity to insulin.
High blood glucose levels in individuals with diabetes are managed through a combination of insulin injections, daily oral hypoglycemic agents, exercise, and diet. However, while these conventional therapeutic approaches aim to regulate insulin levels, they may not always be effective in doing so, which can result in severe hypoglycemia and poor adherence to treatment plans. In fact, only 14% of patients with diabetes in the United States meet the glucose, lipid, and blood pressure control and quitting smoking targets. Despite significant research efforts devoted to understanding the disease process and the experimental therapeutics of diabetes, there is still an urgent need for more effective treatments to prevent or manage this severe metabolic illness.
View the Study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2024.1380443/full
Current therapies for T2DM include biguanides (metformin), GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors [12,13,14,15]. T1DM patients use exogenous insulin, as do type 2 patients who have exhausted endogenous insulin reserves [16].
These therapies reduce morbidity and mortality but do not stop the destruction of pancreatic islets. They carry side effects like gastrointestinal upset, hypoglycemia, acidosis, and increased risk of infections [17, 18]. Exogenous insulin can cause systemic hypersensitivity or localized reactions [18].
Researchers are exploring definitive treatments like whole pancreas transplantation, pancreatic islets transplantation, and stem cell-based therapies [19, 20]. These have shown remission results, especially whole organ transplants, but carry surgery risks and require immunosuppression [21, 22]. They have risks related to immunosuppression, infections, and malignancy; and require appropriate donor availability and access to specialized facilities.
View the Study: https://dmsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13098-025-01619-6
The systematic review and meta-analysis presented here aligns with the growing body of evidence suggesting that mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy is an efficacious and safe alternative to conventional therapy. In this pooled analysis, HbA1c, PPBG, fasting C-peptide, and the total daily dose of insulin were observed to improve after stem cell therapy until 12-months post treatment. Improvement in HbA1c was more evident in T1DM than T2DM, while benefit in PPBG reduction was noted in T2DM more than T1DM. By potentially enhancing insulin sensitivity, promoting the secretory and generative ability of pancreatic islet cells, and modulating tissue repair and immune response, MSCs can provide sustained therapeutic effects that is lacking in conventional therapies, which focus on symptomatic management rather than addressing the root cause of the disease.
View the Study: https://dmsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13098-025-01619-6#Sec50
Mesenchymal stem cell-derived therapy is an efficacious glycemia-lowering modality agent compared to conventional therapy in T1DM and T2DM patients. Albeit more sizeable and longer RCTs are warranted to further support and standardize their clinical use.
View the Study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2024.1380443/full
Diabetes is a serious and growing health problem worldwide. This is a persistent health condition that arises when the body is incapable of adequately controlling the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Each year, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) rises. According to the International Diabetes Federation, approximately 4.51 million adults across the globe were diagnosed with diabetes in 2017. Furthermore, it is expected that this figure will escalate to 6.93 million by the year 2045 (1). Diabetes holds two types which vary in their mode of action on the human body. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an immune system infection, and insusceptible assaults result in the obliteration of islet cells, causing islet aggravation related to outright insulin lack. Eventually, several related complications arise, compromising the patient’s quality of life and reducing their durability (2). Around 90% of adults with diabetes are diagnosed with the most common form of diabetes, known as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (3). The leading causes of diabetes are the malfunctioning of islet cells and the body’s reduced sensitivity to insulin (4).
High blood glucose levels in individuals with diabetes are managed through a combination of insulin injections, daily oral hypoglycemic agents, exercise, and diet. However, while these conventional therapeutic approaches aim to regulate insulin levels, they may not always be effective in doing so, which can result in severe hypoglycemia and poor adherence to treatment plans. In fact, only 14% of patients with diabetes in the United States meet the glucose, lipid, and blood pressure control and quitting smoking targets. Despite significant research efforts devoted to understanding the disease process and the experimental therapeutics of diabetes, there is still an urgent need for more effective treatments to prevent or manage this severe metabolic illness.
View the Study: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2024.1380443/full
