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Pancreatic islet cell transplantation: past, present and future
R W Nason1, R V Rajotte, G L Warnock
1Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Diabetes Research (Edinburgh, Scotland)
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Islet cell transplantation shows promise for diabetes treatment. Researchers are developing methods to isolate pure islets from the pancreas, improving success rates for patients.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Transplantation Immunology
Background:
- Rodent islet cell transplantation is successful but not directly applicable to humans due to pancreatic tissue differences.
- Early human trials using impure pancreatic fragments were largely unsuccessful, hindering progress in islet transplantation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To overcome challenges in isolating sufficient quantities of pure islets from the mammalian pancreas for transplantation.
- To revive enthusiasm and enable clinical trials for islet transplantation by improving graft purity and survival.
Main Methods:
- Adapting rodent islet isolation techniques for the fibrous mammalian pancreas.
- Investigating methods to eliminate contaminating exocrine and immune cells from islet grafts.
- Leveraging discoveries on immune cell deletion to enhance allograft survival without immunosuppression.
Main Results:
- Initial challenges with mammalian pancreas tissue processing were identified.
- The use of impure pancreatic fragments led to unsuccessful and risky clinical trials.
- Demonstration that removing donor immune cells improves islet allograft survival in rodents.
Conclusions:
- Developing efficient methods for isolating pure islets from the pancreas is crucial for successful transplantation.
- Advances in islet isolation techniques are enabling renewed optimism and clinical trials for treating diabetes.