Stem cell treatment for complicated diabetes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Self renewal, homing or migration and multipotent differentiation are characteristics of stem cell. We studied the effect of stem cell treatments on diabetes complicated with impotencies using human umbilical cord blood stem cells (hUCBSCs). METHODS AND RESULTS The patients who had no erection more than 6 months, were not responded to any medication more than 6 months and were waiting penile prosthesis due to type 2 diabetics were participated and number was 5. All had normal laboratory findings except diabetes mellitus related one. Prepared hUCBSCs were ABO, HLA-AB, DR and sex identical to each patient. Total 1.5×10(7) hUCBSCs were infused into both corpus cavernosa. Immune suppression was not done. The blood glucose, medication dose and erection diary were recorded and followed for 9 months. Mean age of participants were 61 (57∼66). The blood glucose dropped from second week, and insulin or hypoglycemic agent doses were reduced in all patients for 6∼7 months. The level of glycosylated hemoglobin was improved from post-treatment for 3∼4 months. The libido was improved and morning erection was regained from 3 weeks. During the follow-up, one patient turned out for prosthesis, two patients were returned to non-erection state at 8 and 9 months and two patients maintained erections with medication. CONCLUSIONS The hUCBSCs has positive effect on blood glucose and erectile dysfunction, although it is not sufficient. We suppose that the stem cell effects might be caused by combination of unknown humoral factors from hUCBSCs and hUCBSCs themselves.