title: Reversal of diabetes in pancreatectomized pigs after transplantation of neonatal porcine islets.
abstract: Neonatal porcine islets (NPIs) are able to grow and to reverse hyperglycemia after transplantation in immunoincompetent mice. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of allogeneic NPI grafts to achieve normoglycemia in a pancreatectomized diabetic pig. NPIs were isolated from pancreases of 1- to 3-day-old pigs, cultured, and then transplanted via the portal vein into the liver of totally pancreatectomized pigs (mean body weight, 20.8 kg). Each pig received NPIs consisting of 3.1 +/- 0.3 x 10(6) beta-cells/kg (12,476 +/- 1,146 islet equivalent/kg). The six pigs that were given cyclosporine and sirolimus achieved normoglycemia by day 14 without insulin therapy. Three pigs died of surgical complications shortly after transplantation, whereas the other three remained insulin independent up to day 69. Of seven nonimmunosuppressed recipients, four pigs became normoglycemic by day 14 without insulin treatment, with two of the animals remaining normoglycemic long term. Well-preserved insulin-positive cells were found in the graft at the end of follow-up with a significant increase in insulin content in long-term survivors of both groups. This study demonstrates for the first time that allogeneic NPIs can reverse hyperglycemia in totally pancreatectomized diabetic pigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kin
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Korbutt
authors.forename: Tsunehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Jannette M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: Ray V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Rajotte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D011169:Portal Vein; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007328:Insulin; D016572:Cyclosporine; D020123:Sirolimus