In a groundbreaking study, researchers at Mayo Clinic have discovered that a sugar molecule used by cancer cells to evade the immune system could also help treat type 1 diabetes. The team, led by immunology researcher Virginia Shapiro, Ph.D., found that dressing up beta cells with the same sugar molecule, known as sialic acid, enabled the immune system to tolerate them.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. This leads to an estimated 1.3 million people in the U.S. suffering from the disease. In their studies, Shapiro’s team used a cancer mechanism and turned it on its head by applying it to type 1 diabetes.

The researchers took a closer look at a preclinical model of type 1 diabetes and found that beta cells engineered to produce an enzyme called ST8Sia6, which increases sialic acid on the surface of tumor cells, were not attacked by the immune system. In fact, they were 90% effective in preventing the development of type 1 diabetes.

The team’s findings show that it is possible to engineer beta cells that do not prompt an immune response. This breakthrough has the potential to improve therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes, who currently rely on synthetic insulin or transplantation of pancreatic islet cells with immunosuppression.

Dr. Shapiro aims to explore using the engineered beta cells in transplantable islet cells without the need for immunosuppression. While still in the early stages, this study may be one step toward improving care for patients with type 1 diabetes.

A recent study has shed light on an alarming trend: among women who strongly desire to avoid becoming pregnant, those who engage in heavy drinking are more than 50% likelier to become pregnant compared to those who drink moderately or not at all. In contrast, participants who use cannabis do not appear to have a higher risk of undesired pregnancy.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco conducted this study among a subgroup of over 900 non-pregnant women aged 15-34 who reported a strong desire to avoid pregnancy. They found that those who drank heavily and those who used cannabis frequently had an even higher overall desire to avoid pregnancy compared to participants who drank moderately or did not use cannabis.

Over the course of one year, 71 out of the 936 women in this subgroup became pregnant unintentionally. A significant proportion (38) of these unwanted pregnancies occurred among heavy drinkers, far exceeding the combined number for those who drank moderately or not at all. This suggests that heavy drinking is associated with a higher risk of undesired pregnancy compared to lower levels of consumption.

On the other hand, less than half (28) of the 71 unintended pregnancies occurred among people who used cannabis, indicating that these individuals did not have an elevated risk of undesired pregnancy compared to those who did not use cannabis.

According to Dr. Sarah Raifman, lead author of this study, the findings imply two crucial points: first, non-pregnant women who drink heavily may have a higher desire to avoid pregnancy than those who drink moderately or do not drink at all; second, heavy drinking compared to moderate or no drinking appears to put those who most want to avoid pregnancy at a higher risk of becoming pregnant within one year.

Given the potentially life-altering effects of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and the fact that the risk of FASD increases with the amount and duration of maternal drinking, healthcare professionals should support women who drink heavily in stopping their consumption as soon as they suspect an unintentional pregnancy.

Ivermectin, a drug traditionally used to treat neglected tropical diseases like onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, has been shown to significantly reduce malaria transmission by killing the mosquitoes that feed on treated individuals. Given the rising resistance to conventional insecticides, ivermectin could offer an effective new approach to tackle malaria transmission, especially in regions where traditional methods have become less effective.

The Unitaid-funded BOHEMIA project, which conducted two Mass Drug Administration (MDA) trials in high-burden malaria regions – Kwale County (Kenya) and Mopeia district (Mozambique) – assessed the safety and efficacy of a single monthly dose of ivermectin (400 mcg/kg) given for three consecutive months at the start of the rainy season in reducing malaria transmission. In Kenya, the intervention targeted children aged 5-15, while in Mozambique it focused on children under five.

The results showed a 26% reduction in new malaria infection incidence among children who received ivermectin compared to those who received albendazole, the control drug used in the study. The trial involved over 20,000 participants and more than 56,000 treatments, demonstrating that ivermectin significantly reduced malaria infection rates — particularly among children living further from cluster borders or in areas where drug distribution was more efficient.

The safety profile of ivermectin was favorable, with no severe drug-related adverse events and only mild, transient side effects already seen with ivermectin in campaigns against neglected tropical diseases.

“We are thrilled with these results,” says Carlos Chaccour, co-principal investigator of the BOHEMIA project and ISGlobal researcher at the time of the study. “Ivermectin has shown great promise in reducing malaria transmission and could complement existing control measures. With continued research, ivermectin MDA could become an effective tool for malaria control and even contribute to elimination efforts,” Chaccour adds.

These results align with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) criteria for new vector control tools. The findings suggest that ivermectin MDA could be a valuable complementary strategy for malaria control, particularly in areas where mosquito resistance to insecticides is a growing concern.

Lessons from the Mozambique trial also highlighted the importance of strong community engagement and close collaboration with local authorities in ensuring acceptance of the ivermectin MDA. The study found an important reduction in the prevalence of skin infestations such as scabies and head lice in the ivermectin group in Mozambique, and the community reported a major reduction in bed bugs in Kenya.

In addition to reducing malaria transmission, ivermectin MDA offers significant collateral benefits. The BOHEMIA team found an important reduction in the prevalence of skin infestations such as scabies and head lice in the ivermectin group in Mozambique, and the community reported a major reduction in bed bugs in Kenya.

“This research has the potential to shape the future of malaria prevention, particularly in endemic areas where existing tools are failing,” concludes Regina Rabinovich, BOHEMIA PI and Director of ISGlobal’s Malaria Elimination Initiative. “With its novel mechanism of action and proven safety profile, ivermectin could offer a new approach using a well-known, safe drug that can add to the effect of other mosquito control tools available today.”