New cell therapy approach shows promise for long-term treatment of Type 1 diabetes mellitus

A team from the University of Tokyo (Japan) has developed a novel graft method for the delivery of pancreatic beta cells via cell therapy. The graft was tested in mice.

The results of their study, published in iScience, demonstrated that their approach could be used for the long-term treatment of Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

“Cell therapy is an exciting, but challenging, approach to treat Type 1 diabetes mellitus,” explained lead author of the study, Shoji Takeuchi (University of Tokyo). “The challenge arises from the difficulty to make large amounts of human beta cells in a dish, and more importantly, to achieve safe and effective transplantation. In this study, we wanted to develop a novel construct that enables successful transplantation of beta cells in the long-term.”

The research team developed a graft, termed a lotus-root-shaped cell-encapsulated construct (LENCON), into which they loaded human iPSC-derived pancreatic beta cells.

The graft had millimeter thickness, which would normally prevent penetration of oxygen and nutrients to cells in the center. However, use of the lotus-root shape allowed cells to be placed at the edge of the graft, reducing the diffusion distance.

To assess whether the graft would cause an immune response on implantation, the group used immunodeficient and immunocompetent diabetic mouse models. In the immunodeficient mice, the LENCON maintained normal blood glucose levels for over 180 days. In the immunocompetent mice, the graft could be removed without adhesion after 1 year of transplantation.

“These are striking results that show how LENCON can successfully and safely be used in the setting of Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Our results suggest that LENCON could offer a novel option for cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes mellitus,” commented first author of the study, Fumisato Ozawa (University of Tokyo).

Ref:https://www.regmednet.com/new-cell-therapy-approach-shows-promise-for-long-term-treatment-of-type-1-diabetes-mellitus/