Correction of diabetes mellitus by transplanting minimal mass of syngeneic islets into vascularized small intestinal segment.

Transplantation of mature islets into portal vein has been most effective thus far, although attrition of transplanted islets constitutes a major limitation, and alternative approaches are required. We analyzed the mechanisms by which islets engrafted, vascularized and functioned over the long term in the small intestinal submucosa. To determine engraftment, survival and function, 350 syngenic islets were transplanted into either intestinal segments or portal vein of diabetic rats. Islet reorganization, vascularization and function were analyzed by histological analysis, RT-PCR analysis as well as glycemic control over up to 1 year. Transplantation of syngeneic islets in marginal numbers successfully restored normoglycemia in diabetic rats. Transplantation of semi-pure islet preparation did not impair their engraftment, vascularization and function. Islets were morphologically intact and expressed insulin as well as glucagon over the year. Expression of angiogenic genes permitted revascularization of transplanted islets. We identified the expression of transcription factors required for maintenance of beta cells. These studies demonstrated that marginal mass of transplanted islets was sufficient to restore euglycemia in streptozotocin-treated rats. These superior results were obtained despite use of an impure preparation of islets in animals with small intestinal segment. Our findings will help advance new horizons for cell therapy in patients with diabetes.

Establishing of the first private autologous cord blood bank in Georgia at the German-Georgian Specialized Oncological Clinic.

German-Georgian Specialized Oncological Clinic is a private clinic located in Tbilisi, Georgia. Close collaboration with German clinics and research laboratories has enabled the clinic to study cord blood hematopoietic stem cells. These studies created a scientific basis for establishing a cord blood bank. A municipal grant from the city of Tbilisi allowed the clinic to establish a program for the support of families with oncohematological patients. The program collected and stored cord blood for families with oncohematological histories. This grant has also enabled the establishment of an autologous cord blood bank and created opportunity for cord blood banking in Georgia. Work on a national legal basis of cord blood banking together with the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia is another important activity of the German-Georgian Oncological Clinic.

A new G-tailing method for the determination of the poly(A) tail length applied to hepatitis A virus RNA.

To study the role of the poly(A) tail length during the replication of poly(A)-containing plus-strand RNA virus, we have developed a simple reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based method that substantially improves the previously reported PAT [poly(A) test] assay. In contrast to the PAT assay, the new method is based on the enzymatic 3' elongation of mRNA with guanosine residues, thus immediately preserving the 3' end of the RNA and creating a unique poly(A)-oligo(G) junction. The oligo(G)-protected full-length poly(A) tail is reverse transcribed using the universal anti-sense primer oligo(dC(9)T(6)) and amplified by PCR with a gene-specific sense primer. After sequencing the resulting RT-PCR product the length of the poly(A) tail was unequivocally deduced from the number of adenosine residues between the oligo(G) stretch and the sequence upstream of the poly(A) tail. The efficiency and specificity of the newly developed assay was demonstrated by analysing the poly(A) tail length of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA. We show here that the poly(A) tail of HAV RNA rescued after transfection of in vitro transcripts was elongated in the course of HAV replication.