Cold preservation of rat pancreatic islets just above the freezing point using University of Wisconsin solution.
OBJECTIVE
To confirm whether rat islets stored at a temperature just above the freezing point using University of Wisconsin (UW) solution would remain viable for the short term.


METHODS
Rat islets were stored for 24 hours in UW solution, either at 4 degrees C or at -0.6 degrees C (just above the specific freezing point of the UW solution). After cold storage, the islets were assessed for in vitro viability by static incubation and for in vivo viability by a transplantation study. One thousand islets preserved under different conditions were injected intraportally into a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat as an isograft. Four weeks after the transplantation, an intravenous glucose tolerance test was performed.


RESULTS
Islets stored at -0.6 degrees C showed higher insulin secretion rates than those stored at 4 degrees C on a static challenge. The interval from transplantation to the achievement of normoglycemia was also shorter in the -0.6 degrees C group than in the 4 degrees C group. After islet transplantation, the daily nonfasting plasma glucose concentration was higher in the 4 degrees C group than in the -0.6 degrees C group. When compared with the 4 degrees C group, the -0.6 degrees C group showed lower blood glucose values during all investigational periods on an intravenous glucose tolerance test.


CONCLUSIONS
Islet preservation at -0.6 degrees C using UW solution is more advantageous for short term.
Inui
H
H
First Department of Surgery, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono, Moriguchi, Osaka 570-8507, Japan. inui@takii.kmu.ac.jp
Kwon
A H
AH
Yoshida
K
K
Tsuchiya
H
H
Inoue
K
K
Kamiyama
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000502:physiology; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012996:Solutions; D014021:Tissue Preservation
D007328:Insulin; D012996:Solutions; D005947:Glucose