Xenotransplantation of Pancreatic Islets

Our specific aim is to treat insulin dependent diabetes by porcine pancreatic islet celltransplantation without the use of immunosuppressive agents. In our study, porcine pancreatic isletsare treated with antibody fragments directed against MHC class I antigen, which we in previous studieshave shown prevents graft rejection. The porcine islets are embedded in blood clots and transplantedunder the renal capsule of mice rendered hyperglycemic by previous treatment with streptozotocin.Untreated islets are transplanted into similar hosts as controls. Non-fasting plasma glucose levels aremonitored and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests are performed monthly. Reversion of plasmaglucose levels to <120 mg/dl are considered normal. Normoglycemic transplant recipients are monitoredfor 150 days. In order to demonstrate that the normal glucose levels were due to the implanted porcinepancreatic islets, the transplanted kidney are explanted, and the non-fasting plasma glucose levels aremonitored. If diabetic mice are rendered stably normoglycemic the commercial applicability of thepotential product, antibody treated procine pancreatic islets, will be investigated by transplantation ofthe product into diabetic non-human primates.