Introduction: A major obstacle in islet transplantation and graft survival pre and post transplantation is islet apoptosis due to mainly inflammatory bio molecules released during islet harvesting and post graft transplantation and hence, subsequent graft fibrosis and failure. This study aimed to investigate if incorporation of the anti-inflammatory anti-hyperlipidaemic drug probucol (PB) would improve islet-graft survival and function, post transplantation in Type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Methods: T1D was induced in mice, and biological profiles of the diabetic mice transplanted PB-microencapsulated islets harvested from healthy syngeneic mice were measured.
Results and conclusion: Compared with sham (no PB), the treated group showed significant reduction in serum levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-12, interleukin-17, and tumour necrosis factor-α, accompanied by a 3-fold increase in survival duration, which suggests PB islet-protective effects, post transplantation.
Keywords: bile acid profile; interleukin-12; interleukin-17; pancreatic beta-cells; probucol; surgery; transplantation.