Improved insulin secretion following intrapancreatic UCB transplantation in patients with T2DM

Transplantation with stem cells has been reported as a potential treatment for diabetes. However, there are few reports examining transplantation with umbilical cord blood (UCB) in type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of intrapancreatic UCB transplantation in patients with T2DM.

Three patients were enrolled in the study, which was performed in a hospital setting from 2010 to 2012, and the duration of follow-up was approximately 6 months.

UCB cells were infused by microcatheter into the dorsal pancreatic artery in 3 T2DM patients with different diabetic histories.

Blood glucose (including 72-h continuous blood glucose), C-peptide, hemoglobin A1c, the requirement for insulin, and transplant complications were monitored before and after transplantation.

After the transplantation, C-peptide levels had increased in all of the patients. In addition, the 72-hour continuous blood glucose monitoring results obtained after transplantation revealed that levels were more stable than before transplantation for all of the patients (P < .05). In addition, the requirements of insulin were reduced in all patients after transplantation.

UCB transplantation may be an approach that could somewhat improve C-peptide levels in patients with T2DM.