Novel tack against diabetes. (Biomedicine).By thwarting cells from making inflammatory proteins, an experimental drug protects diabetes-prone mice from developing the disease, a new study has found. The drag, lisofylline, slows the production of the immune-system proteins interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha Tumor necrosis factor (TNF, cachexin or cachectin and formally known as tumor necrosis factor-alpha) is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that all stimulate the acute phase reaction. . In people with diabetes, inflammation orchestrated or·ches·trate tr.v. or·ches·trat·ed, or·ches·trat·ing, or·ches·trates 1. To compose or arrange (music) for performance by an orchestra. 2. by these proteins kills off beta cells beta cells, n See cells, beta. , the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas pancreas (păn`krēəs), glandular organ that secretes digestive enzymes and hormones. In humans, the pancreas is a yellowish organ about 7 in. (17.8 cm) long and 1.5 in. (3.8 cm) wide. , and can leave a person dependent on insulin injections. In the study, 24 mice received five daffy injections of a diabetes-inducing chemical known as streptozotocin streptozocin, streptozotocin a nitrosurea compound with antineoplastic activity, derived from Streptomyces achromogenes; used principally in the treatment of islet-cell tumors of the pancreas. . Half the mice also got lisofylline injections daily for 2 weeks, starting 5 days before the chemical doses began. After 45 days, only 3 of the 12 lisofylline mice had developed diabetes, whereas 11 of the 12 others had, says study coauthor Zandong Yang of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in the May Pancreas. The researchers axe currently trying to develop a version of lisofylline that can be taken orally.--N.S. |
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