title: Stem cell therapy for diabetes mellitus.
abstract: In this review, we present (1) a brief discussion of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for severe and refractory autoimmune diseases (AIDs) from its beginning in 1996 through recently initiated prospective randomized clinical trials; (2) an update (up to July 2009) of clinical and laboratory outcomes of 23 patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), who underwent autologous HSCT at the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil; (3) a discussion of possible mechanisms of action of HSCT in AIDs, including preliminary laboratory data obtained from our patients; and (4) a discussion of future perspectives of stem cell therapy for T1DM and type 2 DM, including the use of stem cell sources other than adult bone marrow and the combination of cell therapy with regenerative compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Júlio C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Voltarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos E B
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Couri
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana B P L
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Stracieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pieroni
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: George M N
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kelen C R
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Malmegrim
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Belinda P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Carlos , São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angela M O
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo , São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Milton C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Foss
keywords: diabetes mellitus; hematopoietic stem cell; stem cell therapy