Basic and clinical study of stem cell treatment for diabetes mellitus in China

Pancreatic islet beta cell dysfunction and insulin resistance are the main mechanisms underlying the development of diabetes mellitus. The current anti-diabetic treatments only alleviate symptoms and may delay the progression of the disease, but cannot cure the disease. Stem cells improve the function of islet beta cells by promoting in situ regeneration and repair mechanisms that improve autophagy of islet beta cells and modulate macrophage function. They also ameliorate the insulin resistance in peripheral tissues by activating the IRS-1-AKT-GLUT4 signaling pathway in skeletal muscle, fat, and liver. Stem cell therapy has provided a new direction for the precise treatment of diabetes. Researchers in China have carried out a series of experiments on different sources of stem cell therapy for diabetes mellitus using different infusion methods, and they have achieved good clinical effects without serious adverse reactions. These results have provided a basis for the clinical application of stem cells in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.