The use of an approved biodegradable polymer scaffold as a solid support system for improvement of islet engraftment
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of a medically approved biodegradable scaffold as a solid support system would enhance graft survival following transplantation into the omental pouch in a preclinical large animal model. Six beagle dogs underwent total pancreatectomy followed by islet autotransplantation into the omental pouch. Four dogs received islets seeded in a biodegradable polymer scaffold and two received free islets without a scaffold. All four animals that received islets in the scaffold became normoglycemic without exogeneous insulin injection. One dog, transplanted with the largest number of islets, maintained a normal metabolic state until the graft was removed at 5 months posttransplant. In two out of the three that received a marginal islet mass, insulin independence was sustained up to 2 months. In contrast, two dogs transplanted with a similar marginal mass without the scaffold never became normoglycemic. Histological examination of the grafts in the scaffold showed numerous well-granulated, insulin-containing cells as well as glucagon-positive cells. These results indicate that biodegradable scaffolds may enhance survival and function of islet grafts. Manipulation of the microenvironment...Continue Reading
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