Efficient Vascular and Neural Engraftment of Stem Cell-Derived Islets.
Publication Date: 2024 Jul 01
Full Text Sources
Silverchair Information Systems (Free)
Authors
Julia Thorngren; Anja Brboric; Svitlana Vasylovska; Daisy Hjelmqvist; Gunilla T Westermark; Jonna Saarimäki-Vire; Jouni Kvist; Diego Balboa; Timo Otonkoski; Per-Ola Carlsson; Joey LauAbstract
OBJECTIVE
Pluripotent stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets) have emerged as a new source for β-cell replacement therapy. The function of human islet transplants is hampered by excessive cell death posttransplantation; contributing factors include inflammatory reactions, insufficient revascularization, and islet amyloid formation. However, there is a gap in knowledge of the engraftment process of SC-islets. In this experimental study, we investigated the engraftment capability of SC-islets at 3 months posttransplantation and observed that cell apoptosis rates were lower but vascular density was similar in SC-islets compared with human islets. Whereas the human islet transplant vascular structures were a mixture of remnant donor endothelium and ingrowing blood vessels, the SC-islets contained ingrowing blood vessels only. Oxygenation in the SC-islet grafts was twice as high as that in the corresponding grafts of human islets, suggesting better vascular functionality. Similar to the blood vessel ingrowth, reinnervation of the SC-islets was four- to fivefold higher than that of the human islets. Both SC-islets and human islets contained amyloid at 1 and 3 months posttransplantation. We conclude that the vascular and neural engraftment of SC-islets are superior to those of human islets, but grafts of both origins develop amyloid, with potential long-term consequences.
Source
Diabetes
Pub Types(s)
Journal Article
Language
English
PubMed ID
38603470