title: Detrimental effect of excessive collagenase class II on human islet isolation outcome.
abstract: Commercially available purified collagenases, derived from Clostridium histolyticum, contain two different classes of collagenase: class I collagenase (CI) and class II collagenase (CII) at a predetermined ratio. In this study, using purified CI and CII in separate vials, we had a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of the proportion between two collagenase classes on clinical human islet isolation. Pancreas organs derived from deceased donors were prospectively assigned to one of three different enzyme protocols: group A--CII:CI = 1:1 vial; group B--1:2; group C--1.5:1. As a result, their total collagenase activities were 2116, 2230, and 3117 Wunsch units/pancreas in groups A, B, and C, respectively but thermolysin dosage was adjusted to 624-988 Units/g pancreas. The pancreas was not efficiently digested in group C in spite of a relatively longer digestion time and significantly higher Wunsch activity, resulting in the poorest islet isolation outcome among the three groups. Additional retrospective analysis revealed that this suboptimal outcome in group C was not because of the absolute excessive amount of collagenase activity but as a result of the relatively high proportion of CII (i.e., unbalanced CII/CI ratio). Our study suggests that an excessive CII is ineffective in releasing islets from human pancreas, and rather a balanced CII/CI ratio is of paramount importance.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Islet Transplant Program, University of Alberta and Capital Health, Edmonton, AB, Canada. tkin@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kin
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Gorman
authors.forename: Andrew Mark James
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shapiro
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D017364:Collagenases / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C118796:ColH protein, Clostridium histolyticum; D017364:Collagenases