Inhibition of instant blood-mediated inflammatory responses by co-immobilization of sCR1 and heparin on islets

Intraportal transplantation of islets of Langerhans is followed by marked islet loss, mainly caused by instant blood-mediated inflammatory responses (IBMIR). We previously developed a method of co-immobilizing sCR1 and heparin on islets. Here we examined whether this process could reduce islet loss following intraportal islet transplantation in a syngeneic mouse model. sCR1-heparin islets or unmodified islet controls were transplanted into the livers of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Transplantation of 100 and 125 sCR1-heparin islets normalized blood glucose levels in 8 of 9 (88.9%) and 9 of 9 diabetic mice (100%), respectively, whereas transplantation of 100 and 125 non-treated islets induced normoglycemia in 0 of 9 and 2 of 9 diabetic mice, respectively. Fibrin staining and plasma insulin measurements indicated that, compared to non-treated islets, sCR1-heparin islet transplantation was associated with fewer blood clots around islets, and significantly less insulin leakage from damaged islets at 1 h post-transplantation. Long-term follow-up of the sCR1-heparin islet group showed islet cells in the livers and insulin expression. In conclusion, co-immobilization of sCR1 and heparin on islets could effectively reduce islet damage by IBMIR, and might be useful to enable transplantation with only one donor and one recipient.