Transplantation of islets using microencapsulation : studies in diabetic rodents and dogs

• Published in: Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 1999, Vol.77 (1), p.206-210
• Main Authors: LANZA, R. P, ECKER, D. M, KÜHTREIBER, W. M, MARSH, J. P, RINGELING, J, CHICK, W. L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alginates; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Capsules; Cattle; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - surgery; Dogs; Glucose Tolerance Test; Islets of Langerhans - immunology; Islets of Langerhans - metabolism; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation - methods; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Rats; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Transplantation, Heterologous
• ISSN: 0946-2716; 1432-1440
• DOI: 10.1007/s001090050337

Studies involving the transplantation of human islets in Type I diabetics have been of significant value both in documenting the potential importance of islet transplantation as a therapeutic modality, and in defining some of the problems which must be overcome before this approach can be used in large numbers of patients. The currently limited supply of adult human pancreatic glands, and the fact that chronic immunosuppression is required to successfully transplant islets into patients, indicate that techniques must be further developed and refined for allo- and xenografting of isolated islets from human and animal sources to diabetic patients. An increasing body of evidence using microencapsulation techniques strongly suggests that this will be achieved during the next few years. Data from our laboratory in rodents and dogs indicate that these systems can function for extended periods of time. In one study, insulin independence was achieved in spontaneously diabetic dogs by islet microencapsulation inside uncoated alginate gel spheres (Mr exclusion >600 kD). No synthetic materials or membrane coatings were employed in this study. Spheres containing canine islets were implanted into the peritoneum of 4 diabetic dogs. The animals received low-dose CsA (levels below readable limits by HPLC at 3 weeks). Implantation of these spheres completely supplanted exogenous insulin therapy in the dogs for 60 to >175 days. Blood glucose concentration averaged 122+/-4 mg/dl for these animals during the first 2 months. The glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAIC) levels during this period dropped from 6.7+/-0.5% to 4.2+/-0.2% (P