Transplantation of neonatal porcine islets and sertoli cells into nonimmunosuppressed nonhuman primates

Transplant Proc. 2005 Jan-Feb;37(1):487-8. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2004.11.062.

Abstract

A Mexican group reported transplantation of cocultured neonatal porcine islets and Sertoli cells resulting in insulin independence in nonimmunosuppressed type 1 diabetes patients. We have transplanted similar islets alone (naked islets) or cocultured islets with sertoli cells (islet/sertoli cells) into an omental site and other locations of seven nondiabetic, nonimmunosuppressed, nonhuman primates. Porcine endogenous retrovirus was not detected in recipient blood 8 weeks after porcine islet grafts, and porcine C-peptide was detected at a very low level in all animals. Histology examination failed to demonstrate obviously recognizable islets, but in the animals transplanted with islet/Sertoli cells at the omentum site, there were some surviving glucagons, pan-cytokeratin, and inhibin stained cells at 8 weeks.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Graft Survival
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / immunology*
  • Macaca
  • Male
  • Sertoli Cells / transplantation*
  • Swine
  • Transplantation, Heterologous*