These results build on the earlier work of Dr. Denise L. Faustman and associates at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Charlestown

The team had shown previously that the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas of diabetic mice could be reversed, and islet cell function restored, by injection of donor spleen cells.

The unanswered question from that study was whether the few remaining islet cells were being rescued or whether insulin-secreting islet cells were being regenerated.

The islet cells are being regenerated, according to the team's current report in the journal Science.

The injected donor spleen cells "contain cells that rapidly differentiate into islet ... cells within the pancreas," the team writes.

In comments to Reuters Health, Faustman said: "The lowly spleen has a new unsuspected job assignment other than representing a useless bag of white blood cells. The spleen is a source of adult precursor cells that accelerates the insulin-secreting islet regeneration."

Until now, the researcher said, "data did not exist to suggest robust adult regeneration could be accomplished with non-toxic means, be durable, and the rapid foundation for a new way to reverse spontaneous/natural diabetes."

This "new therapeutic angle" now needs to be translated to human studies, Faustman said.

Source: Yahoo News: Reuters Health: Science, November 14, 2003.