Animal experiments have proved that diabetes type 1 will be defeated.

American scientists from the University of Texas made a breakthrough in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. According to News.com.au, they used a virus-deliverer introducing special genes. These genes are responsible for the production of insulin in the pancreas. The virus loaded with these genes was successfully tested in mice.

The virus changed pancreatic cells (but not beta cells). The virus made the cells to secrete insulin in response to sugar only. The normal pancreas beta cells that suffer from attacks of the immune system in type 1 diabetes, work this way. The scientists have proven the effectiveness of this method in rodents which sugar levels were monitored four times a day.

The rodent therapy has been lasted for a year without visible side effects. The scientists believe that people will also have no side effects from the immune system. It should be mentioned that the method has been already successfully tested on other diseases, including rare childhood diseases. In the near future, the scientists are going to move from rodents to large animals in their experiments.

Source: News.com.au