Transplantation of islet cells across major histocompatibility barriers after total lymphoid irradiation and infusion of allogeneic bone marrow cells.
Diabetic Lewis rats (AgB1/L) were evaluated as recipients of allogeneic Wistar-Furth (AgB2/2) isolated adult islets without the use of standard recipient immunosuppression. One group was treated with fractionated total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) and Wistar-Furth bone marrow cell reconstitution to proven chimerism prior to islet transplantation. This group returned to a prediabetic state following Wistar-Furth islet transplantation without any evidence of rejection for 100 days posttransplant. A second group of Lewis rats received only TLI without bone marrow treatment. They gave a varying result following islet transplantation with one recipient showing evidence of prolonged islet survival. A third chimeric control group did not receive isolated islets and did not alter their diabetic state. A fourth group was not given TLI nor donor bone marrow cells and uniformly rejected their allogeneic islets by 7 days. Thus, allogeneic adult islets will survive across major rat histocompatibility barriers using TLI and donor bone marrow chimerism as the only form of immunosuppression.
D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000628:therapy; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011828:Radiation Chimera; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011920:Rats, Inbred WF