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Updated: May 30, 2026

Encapsulated Cell Technology for the Delivery of Biologics to the Mouse Eye
Published on: March 30, 2020
Intravitreal cell-based production of glucagon-like peptide-1
Rong Zhang1, Haijuan Zhang, Liang Xu
1Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Background:
To examine the efficacy and safety of an intravitreal cell-based production of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) by intravitreally implanted and encapsulated cells.
Methods:
The experimental study included 12 Sprague-Dawley rats. Four cell beads with a diameter of 600 μm were intravitreally implanted. Each bead contained 3,000 GLP-1-secreting cells, which were encapsulated by a barium cross-linked sodium alginate matrix. At baseline and at each of the follow-up examinations at Day 3, Day 7, and Day 14, 4, 3, 3, and 2 animals, respectively, were killed. The concentration of active GLP-1 in the vitreous body samples was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The retinas were histologically examined.
Results:
The active GLP-1 concentration in the vitreous samples increased significantly after baseline (<5 pM) to a peak at Day 3 (287 ± 196 pM) and at Day 7 (238 ± 55 pM), before it decreased at Day 14 (70 ± 8 pM). The histologic examinations did not show signs of apoptosis or tissue destruction.
Conclusion:
The intravitreal application of beads containing alginate-encapsulated cells producing GLP-1 resulted in an intraocular production of GLP-1 with a significant increase in the intraocular GLP-1 concentration, without observed cytotoxic effects. An intravitreal cell-based drug therapy with GLP-1 appears feasible.
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