Bioartificial pancreas containing porcine islets of Langerhans implanted in low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice: effect of encapsulation medium.

ABSTRACT

Two encapsulation culture media without animal serum were compared for development of a bioartificial pancreas. Porcine islets were suspended in Hams F10 medium supplemented with 2% Ultroser (US) or in Ultraculture medium (UC) and encapsulated in hollow fibres composed of AN69 copolymer. The function of encapsulated islets was assessed by intraperitoneal transplantation of two fibres in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. In both groups of transplanted mice (US, n = 26; UC, n = 18), a significant decrease in plasma glucose concentration was observed three days after fibre implantation (from 21.9 +/- to 14.4 +/- 0.8 mmol/l for US fibres and from 22.7 +/- 0.8 to 13.3 +/- 1.3 mmol/l for US fibres and from 22.7 +/- 0.8 to 13.3 +/- 1.3 mmol/l for UC fibres). Graft survival 17 days after implantation was 61% for mice with UC fibres and 35% for those with US fibres (P = 0.0001). Intramuscular glucose tolerance tests were performed in these animals (US, n = 5; UC, n = 10), and a normal glucose pattern was observed in both groups of transplanted mice. The results show that a complete normalisation of blood glucose and glucose tolerance can be achieved by implantation of a bioartificial pancreas. Moreover, UC appears to be a more suitable encapsulation culture medium for porcine islets in vivo.