title: Sustained function of alginate-encapsulated human islet cell implants in the peritoneal cavity of mice leading to a pilot study in a type 1 diabetic patient.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alginate-encapsulated human islet cell grafts have not been able to correct diabetes in humans, whereas free grafts have. This study examined in immunodeficient mice whether alginate-encapsulated graft function was inferior to that of free grafts of the same size and composition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultured human islet cells were equally distributed over free and alginate-encapsulated grafts before implantation in, respectively, the kidney capsule and the peritoneal cavity of non-obese diabetic mice with severe combined immunodeficiency and alloxan-induced diabetes. Implants were followed for in vivo function and retrieved for analysis of cellular composition (all) and insulin secretory responsiveness (capsules).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Free implants with low beta cell purity (19 ± 1%) were non-functional and underwent 90% beta cell loss. At medium purity (50 ± 1%), they were functional at post-transplant week 1, evolving to normoglycaemia (4/8) or to C-peptide negativity (4/8) depending on the degree of beta cell-specific losses. Encapsulated implants immediately and sustainably corrected diabetes, irrespective of beta cell purity (16/16). Most capsules were retrievable as single units, enriched in endocrine cells that exhibited rapid secretory responses to glucose and glucagon. Single capsules with similar properties were also retrieved from a type 1 diabetic recipient at post-transplant month 3. However, the vast majority were clustered and contained debris, explaining the poor rise in plasma C-peptide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In immunodeficient mice, i.p. implanted alginate-encapsulated human islet cells exhibited a better outcome than free implants under the kidney capsule. They did not show primary non-function at low beta cell purity and avoided beta cell-specific losses by rapidly establishing normoglycaemia. Retrieved capsules presented secretory responses to glucose, which was also observed in a type 1 diabetic recipient.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center, Brussels Free University, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobs-Tulleneers-Thevissen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chintinne
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gillard
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schoonjans
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delvaux
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gorus
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keymeulen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pipeleers
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology*; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid