"The vast majority
of non-traumatic hand and foot amputations carried out in UK hospitals
are caused by diabetes and there are currently no treatments available
to prevent or slow the progress of nerve disease in diabetic patients,"
said the lead researcher, Professor David Tomlinson who is based in the
University's Faculty of Life Sciences. "Our tests have shown that a
single injection of a DNA-binding protein protected nerve function,
stimulated nerve growth and prevented tissue damage that in humans can
lead to limb loss."
Neuropathy affects
an estimated 50 percent of long-term diabetic patients. Symptoms of
neuropathy are usually described as numbness in the hands, arms, feet
and legs. Sometimes there is pain involved. Not every case of
neuropathy develops to the point of amputation, but there is a definite
potential risk. Other organs can be affected as well including the
heart, kidneys, sex organs, eyes, and digestive tract.
"Diabetic
neuropathy is a major problem in insulin-dependent diabetes,
particularly in patients who have had the disease for a period of time,"
said Professor Tomlinson. "Our approach to gene therapy is quite
different to previous attempts at treatment: we use a DNA-binding
protein called ZFP TFTM to poke life into the patient's own genes and
produce a growth factor that has a role in nerve protection and
regeneration.
Tomlinson report
that they have had some striking success.
Sangamo
BioSciences Inc. along with Tomlinson has carried out the US clinical
trials and reports that there were 12 diabetic patients tested. Only 4
out of the 12 had a mild injection site reaction that resolved quickly
after the injection.
"We are delighted
by the progress of our clinical program in diabetic neuropathy and by
the reception it has received from the medical and scientific
community," said Edward Lanphier, Sangamo's President and CEO. "We
believe our DNA-binding protein may provide a novel and much-needed
therapeutic approach to diabetic neuropathy and optimistically look
forward to the next stage of development of this novel therapeutic when
phase-two clinical trials start later this year."
According to another report, amputations are far too
common. This press release from Ken Hunter stated the following:
"Amputations are not only disfiguring and life-threatening, but are more
dangerous and more expensive than revascularization, which is the
reestablishment of blood supply. Diabetics are especially at risk for
non-traumatic amputations, accounting for 82,000 non-traumatic lower
extremity amputations (LEAs) in the U.S. yearly, according to the
American Diabetes Association. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
reports more than 60 percent of LEAs occur in diabetics."
Nicole Wilson
Best Syndication
Books
on Diabetes
Keywords an misspellings: nuropathy
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