Scientists in Spain have successfully reversed markers of type 2 diabetes and obesity in rodents using gene therapy. Prof. Bosch and her colleagues achieved this using gene therapy, a technique that introduces new genetic material into cells to create beneficial proteins or to offset the effects of malfunctioning genes. The study, published today in the journal Nature Communications, is a major step forward for the field of regenerative medicine, which aims to use genetic engineering techniques to treat diseases such as diabetes, cancer or heart disease. The mice lost weight and their insulin resistance dropped, while at the same time the fat content, inflammation and fibrosis of their livers were reversed without side effects.
Scientists in Spain have successfully reversed markers of type 2 diabetes and obesity in rodents using gene therapy. The study, published today in the journal Nature Communications, is a major step forward for the field of regenerative medicine, which aims to use genetic engineering techniques to treat diseases such as diabetes, cancer or heart disease. The mice lost weight and their insulin resistance dropped, while at the same time the fat content, inflammation and fibrosis of their livers were reversed without side effects.