Cell-based immunomodulation in early type 1 diabetes.

Cell-Based Immunomodulation Using Decidual Stromal Cells in Early Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a lifelong disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas called beta cells. People suffering from T1D need daily insulin, yet many still develop serious complications. Protecting the remaining beta cells early in the disease could help preserve natural insulin production and reduce these long-term problems.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), can calm harmful immune reactions and help injured tissues recover. These cells can be taken from sources such as bone marrow, fat, umbilical cord or placenta. Studies in the lab and early clinical work suggest MSCs can lower inflammation in pancreatic islets and help them survive. For example, a small clinical study using a person’s own bone marrow MSCs in new-onset type 1 diabetes was safe and helped preserve insulin production for at least one year.

At the Scholz lab we isolate and study placenta-derived cell called decidual stromal cells (DSCs). DSCs are especially good at suppressing overactive immune responses and have been used successfully and safely to treat a condition called graft-versus-host disease. When given intravenously, DSCs can act quickly by releasing signals that reduce inflammation and by encouraging regulatory immune cells that calm the autoimmune attack.

We propose to test DSCs in the lab and in animal models to see whether they reduce the damaging inflammation that destroys beta cells in early type 1 diabetes. These studies will help us understand how DSCs work, whether they are safe and how they should be dosed. The goals are to generate the evidence needed to move toward a clinical trial testing DSCs as an intravenous therapy to protect beta cells and slow or prevent progression of type 1 diabetes.