EmCell delegates participated in the 1st International Congress on
"Prediabetes" and the Metabolic Syndrome held on April 13-16, 2005 in
Berlin, Germany.

Presented was the following abstract
Embryonic Stem Cells in Metabolic Syndrome

Embryonic Stem Cells in Metabolic Syndrome

O.I. Smikodub, A.V. Novytska

Observed were 12 patients, 7 men and 5 women (mean age – 58±6.3), with clinical manifestations of metabolic syndrome.  All patients presented stage I-II hypertension, carbohydrate metabolism disturbances: impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) – 8 and mild type II diabetes mellitus (DM) (morning fasting hyperglycemia, aglycosuria) – 3, with hyperinsulinemia and elevated C-Peptide (4.7±1.6 ng/ml). Lipid metabolism disturbances were reported in all the patients: elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, increased concentration of low density lipoproteids (LDL), very low density lipoproteids (VLDL), decreased concentration of high density lipoproteids (HDL), and abdominal obesity (BMI–30.8±1.6 kg/m²), waist – relatively W-94.8±2.3, M-105.7±2.9 cm). 

Transplanted were embryonic hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic mesenchymal and endodermal stem cells obtained from germ layers of 4-8 weeks old cadaverous embryos’ internal organs and sorted thereafter. 1-3 ml of cell suspensions were administered intravenously, cell concentration – 0.1-100x10⁵/ml. 

Patients were observed for 1-5 years.  In 1-2 months, 83% of patients reported gradual BP decrease with subsequent stabilization in the course of the next 2-3 months – 135-140/80-90 mm Hg, with parallel 1.5-2-fold decrease of hypertension medications.  In 7-9 months, glucose tolerance test (glycemia level 2 hours after glucose load was 7.2±0.3 mmol/l) revealed the improvement of carbohydrate metabolism in IGT patients.  Decrease of morning hyperglycemia in type II DM patients usually started in 2-3 month, normalization was observed in 5-7 months.  C-Peptide concentration gradually decreased, beginning from after 2-3 months, and normalized within 6-9 months.  Normalization of blood lipids was reported in 75% of patient after 9-12 months, with parallel decrease of triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, and HDL increase.