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news.Researchers at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and the Baylor Research Institute have developed a novel technique to deliver insulin genes to the pancreas, an approach that could represent a major step in the potential treatment of type 1 diabetes.
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The technique, known as ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD), delivers insulin genes to the organ via microscopic ‘bubbles.’ Once the bubbles reach their target, they are burst with ultrasound, releasing the insulin genes into the pancreas.
Using UTMD, researchers delivered the bubbles containing human insulin genes into the pancreas of rats and later found that the rats’ blood sugar had been subsequently lowered. Another gene that regulates insulin production, known as hexokinase I, was also successfully delivered using UTMD, and resulted in increased blood insulin and decreased blood sugar in the rats.
“Not only was their blood sugar lowered, but there was no evidence of any damage to the pancreas,” said Dr Paul Grayburn, principal investigator of the study. “Other forms of gene therapy are usually invasive and unlike the UTMD technique, do not target the tissues and organs specifically.”
Currently, patients with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with insulin daily to keep their blood sugar levels balanced in addition to following strict nutritional guidelines. Dr Grayburn says that the UTMD technique is one of the most important steps in the development of a successful treatment of diabetes without the need for daily insulin injections.
In the future, he believes that the UTMD technique for gene delivery could be used to deliver therapeutic agents to other organs as well.