Islet Cell Survival During Isolation Improved Through Protein Kinase C Epsilon Activation

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2008-03, Vol.40 (2), p.375-378
• Main Authors: Kvezereli, M, Vallentin, A, Mochly-Rosen, D, Busque, S, Fontaine, M.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Separation - methods; Cell Survival - physiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - surgery; Enzyme Activation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Islets of Langerhans - cytology; Islets of Langerhans - enzymology; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Protein Kinase C-epsilon - metabolism; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tissue and Organ Harvesting - methods; Tissue, organ and graft immunology
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2008.01.014

Abstract Strategies inhibiting cell death signaling pathways may enhance the availability of islet transplantation for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The epsilon isoform of protein kinase C (PKCε) has been shown to have an anti-apoptotic effect in many cell types. The present study investigated whether activation of PKCε may improve the yield of functional islet cells for transplantation. Islet cells were isolated from wild-type BALB/c mice preconditioned with either a PKCε activator (ψεRACK) or a TAT carrier control peptide and further treated with the same agents during isolation and in vitro for either 0, 1, 16, or 40 hours. Islet cells were assessed at each time point for viability, apoptosis, and function. ψεRACK-treated islets showed significantly decreased islet cell death up to 40 hours after isolation compared with TAT-treated control islets. Beta-cell function in response to high glucose challenge remained unchanged.