Low-temperature preservation of isolated islets is superior to conventional islet culture before islet transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Although culturing islets before transplantation provides flexibility for evaluation of isolated islets and pretreatment of patients, it is well-known that isolated islets deteriorate rapidly in culture. In this study, we evaluated optimal temperature for culture/preservation of isolated human islets before transplantation.


METHODS
Isolated islets were cultured or preserved for 48 hr in the following culture/preservation conditions: preservation at 4 degrees C in University of Wisconsin solution and culture at 22 degrees C or 37 degrees C in culture medium.


RESULTS
Islet morphology after 4 degrees C preservation was similar to that of fresh islets, whereas islet diameter after 37 degrees C or 22 degrees C culture was smaller than that of fresh islets. Islet yield significantly decreased at higher temperatures (24% loss in 37 degrees C culture and 19% loss in 22 degrees C culture, but <5% loss in 4 degrees C preservation). Cultured/preserved islets were transplanted into diabetic nude mice. The attainability of posttransplantation normoglycemia was significantly higher in the 4 degrees C preservation group than in 22 degrees C and 37 degrees C culture groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Preservation of isolated islets at 4 degrees C improves the outcome of islet transplantation more efficiently than preservation at 22 degrees C or 37 degrees C. Based on these data, we have performed short-time cold storage of isolated islets instead of culturing for current clinical islet transplantation.
Noguchi
Hirofumi
H
Baylor All Saints Medical Center, Baylor Research Institute, Fort Worth, TX 76104, USA. hirofumn@baylorhealth.edu
Naziruddin
Bashoo
B
Jackson
Andrew
A
Shimoda
Masayuki
M
Ikemoto
Tetsuya
T
Fujita
Yasutaka
Y
Chujo
Daisuke
D
Takita
Morihito
M
Kobayashi
Naoya
N
Onaca
Nicholas
N
Levy
Marlon F
MF
Matsumoto
Shinichi
S
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001926:Brain Death; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002470:Cell Survival; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods*
D003470:Culture Media; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate