Pancreatic islet cell replacement and transplantation

This project now redirects to the feature page on Diabetes

/research/research-news/feature/a3-life-for-diabetes-patients.aspx

Established December 2023

 

This research project, involving clinically reflective in vitro model systems, has expanded previous work which developed a glucose-responsive beta-cell line in an attempt to produce a new and abundant alternative source of insulin producing cells suitable for transplantation and treatment of Type 1 Diabetes. This work has configured alternative beta-cells as surrogates of native islets using a micro-gravity system developed by NASA which allows cells to develop three dimensionally. These 3D islet-like clusters have been employed as a replacement for primary islets in studies aimed at improving the outcomes in human islet transplantation.

Project timeframes

This project began in 2008 and is ongoing.

Project aims

The overall Project aim is to develop nano-engineered pancreatic islets to investigate adverse immune reactions and develop immune-shielded islets suitable for transplantation into non-systemically immune-suppressed diabetic patients.

Ongoing collaborative research projects include:

  • tissue engineering of insulin-producing beta-cells to maximise secretory function and long-term viability;
  • in vitro testing of the response of tissue engineered islets to prolonged periods of hypoxia using a novel micro-gravity culture system;
  • production of chimeric islets resistant to immune-mediated attack – EU Seventh FP Collaborative project (NEXT)

Project findings and impact

The project worked on the isolation and functional characterisation of pancreatic beta and surrogate insulin-producing cells and provided the basic research underpinning the establishment of the UK Islet Transplant Consortium. The Consortium, chaired by Professor James Shaw (Newcastle), prepared a successful bid to the National Commissioning Group for NHS funding and NICE approval of an integrated UK NHS Islet Transplant Programme.

The Programme, launched nationally in 2008, is the world's first government-funded islet transplant service dedicated to patients with type 1 diabetes. This programme saw the establishment of six transplant centres which provide a cost-effective national program for islet transplantation. These centres were commissioned to deliver a cure for recurrent life-threatening hypoglycaemia.

Islet transplants have been successfully performed on 65 patients between April 2008 and March 2013, with a reduction in severe hypoglycaemic events (>95 per cent) and improved glycaemic control.

Research team

Professor Adrian Bone

Dr Claire E Marriott

James Bockhart

Sandeep Kumar

Nouf Alhasawi

Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices

Dr Mark Best

Dr Valeria Perugini

Output