Prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus type 1

Langerhans islet transplantation: Early results have been promising with in sulin production in all cases two years after transplantation. These encour aging results have been obtained with a specifically designed protocol for islet harvesting, immunosuppression and transplantation of a large quantity of islets from several donors. Early immunosuppression: Since diabetes mellitus type 1 is an autoimmune di sease, immunosuppression could be a most interesting etiopathological solut ion. Results obtained both in mouse models and in humans given monoclonal h umanized anti-lymphocyte T antibodies (hOKT3 gamma 1) during th first 6 wee ks following diagnosis have been quite encouraging. Two approaches to gene therapy: For the first, the goal is to improve the t ransplantation technique by isolating the islets in vitro in an attempt to improve their function via ex vivo transfection of different genes. The sec ond approach aims at treatment of the complications of diabetes, particular ly lower limb arteritis and coronary artery disease. Here the vector is an adenovirus carrying a gene coding for VEGF, a growth factor with proangioge nic action.