Cell surface engineering using single-stranded DNA-poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated phospholipid (ssDNA-PEG-lipid) is useful for inducing cell-cell attachment two and three dimensionally. In this review, we summarize our recent techniques for cell surface engineering and their applications to islet transplantation. Because any DNA sequence can be immobilized onto the cell surface by hydrophobic interactions between ssDNA-PEG-lipid and the cellular membrane without impairing cell function, a cell-cell hybrid can be formed through the DNA hybridization. With this technique, it would be possible to create three-dimensional hybrid structures of pancreatic islets coated with various accessory cells, such as patients' own cells, mesenchymal and adipose-derived stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells, neural crest stem cells or regulatory T cells, which might significantly improve the outcome of islet transplantation in diabetic patients.
Keywords: Cell surface modification; Diabetes; IBMIR, instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction; Instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR); PEG-conjugated phospholipid (PEG-lipid); PEG-lipid, poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated phospholipid; PMPC, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine); Pancreatic islet; islets, islets of Langerhans.