title: Rapid deposition of amyloid in human islets transplanted into nude mice.
abstract: Human islets of Langerhans were transplanted to the subcapsular space of the kidneys of nude mice which were either normoglycaemic or made diabetic with alloxan. After 2 weeks, the transplants were processed for light and electron microscopical analyses. In all transplants, islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP)-positive cells were found with highest frequency in normoglycaemic animals. IAPP-positive amyloid was seen in 16 out of 22 transplants (73%), either by polarisation microscopy after Congo red staining or by immune electron microscopy. At variance with previous findings of amyloid deposits exclusively in the extracellular space of islets of non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients, the grafted islets contained intracellular amyloid deposits as well. There was no clear difference in occurrence of amyloid between diabetic and non-diabetic animals. The present study indicates that human islets transplanted into nude mice very soon present IAPP-positive amyloid deposits. This technique may provide a valuable model for studies of the pathogenesis of islet amyloid and its impact on islet cell function.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000682:Amyloid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D008875:Middle Aged; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D001786:Blood Glucose; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide