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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
A Method for Murine Islet Isolation and Subcapsular Kidney Transplantation
Published on: April 13, 2011
[Impact of PEG-packed islets upon anti-rejection therapy in homogeneous murine islet transplantation]
Jun Liu1, Xiao-hui Rui, Qian-wei Wang
1Department of Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Objective:
To investigate the impact of polyethylene glycols (PEG) upon islet survival in homogeneous murine islet transplantation and understand the impact of PEGylation in combination with rapamycin upon anti-rejection therapy in homogeneous mice islet transplantation.
Methods:
The subcutaneously pre-vascularized STZ-induced diabetic mice treated with transplanted islets of BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: Group A with normal mice islets; Group B with PEG-packed islets; Group C with normal mice islets and 1.5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) rapamycin; Group D with PEG-packed islets and 1.5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) rapamycin; Group E with normal mice islets and 3 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) rapamycin; Group F with PEG-packed islets and 3 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) rapamycin. The post-transplantation blood glucose was monitored. Transplanted islets were analyzed by H&E and insulin immunostain.
Results:
The survival time in group B was significantly prolonged as compared with group A (P < 0.01). The survival time in group C were (35.0 +/- 3.1) d and groups D, E, F had survival of up to 6 weeks. Transplantation sites of group A were observed with a more abundant infiltration of immune cells than group B. And the unmodified islets in group A were completely destroyed after transplantation. Insulin-positive islet cells were not detected at the entire transplantation site in group A while the presence was found at the transplantation site in group B.
Conclusion:
PEG-packed islets can significantly improve the survival time of transplanted islets. When combined with rapamycin, it can reduce the dose of rapamycin.
