title: Effect of low-temperature culture and site of transplantation on hamster islet xenograft survival (hamster to mouse).
abstract: Isolated hamster islets were transplanted either into the liver via the portal vein or into the renal subcapsular space of diabetic C57BL/6J mice. The mean survival time (MST) of hamster islets cultured overnight at 37 degrees C was 8.5 +/- 0.6 days when transplanted into the liver as compared to an MST of greater than 21.7 +/- 4.9 days with 1 recipient still normoglycemic at 60 days when the islets were placed in the renal subcapsular space. Low-temperature culture (24 degrees C) of the hamster islets for 7 days produced a further significant prolongation of xenograft survival when the islets were placed beneath the renal capsule (MST greater than 43.3 +/- 4.7 days) with 2 recipients normoglycemic at 60 days. A single injection of anti-T-lymphocyte serum in conjunction with low-temperature culture did not produce a further increase in MST; however, 3 recipients were normoglycemic at 60 days. Removal of the kidney bearing successful xenografts at 60 days resulted in a rapid return to the diabetic state. It was interesting that the xenografts maintained normoglycemia in the mice at a level equivalent to the normal hamster (66.2 +/- 4.7 mg/dl) instead of the nonfasting level found in normal C57BL/6J mice (128.4 +/- 6.4 mg/dl). The findings indicate that low-temperature culture of the donor islets in conjunction with using the renal capsule as the site of transplantation produced a marked prolongation of hamster islet xenograft survival. Slow rejection of the xenografts did occur in this site, and histologic studies indicated that this rejection may be antibody mediated.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D006224:Cricetinae; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000628:therapy; D006085:Graft Survival; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D007668:Kidney; D008099:Liver; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D011169:Portal Vein; D013737:Testis; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen