Intrasplenic Transplantation of Encapsulated Genetically Engineered Mouse Insulinoma Cells Reverses Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats

Pancreatic islet transplantation is limited by shortage of donor organs. Although β-cell lines could be used, their secretion of insulin is characteristically glucose independent and immunoisolation is required. Here we show that intrasplenic transplantation of encapsulated glucose-responsive mouse insulinoma cells reversed streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. MIN-6 cells derived from a transgenic mouse expressing SV 40 large T antigen in pancreatic β-cells were transfected with minigene encoding for human glucagon-like-peptide-1 under the control of rat insulin promoter. The cells were encapsulated in alginate/poly-L-lysine and used for cell transplantation in STZ-diabetic rats. Rats with nonfasting blood glucose (n-FBG) greater than 350 mg/dl were used. In group I rats (n = 6) 20 million encapsulated cells were injected into the spleen. Group II rats (n = 6) received empty capsules. n-FBG was measured biweekly. After 4 and 8 weeks, an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed in group I; normal rats served as controls. Plasma insulin level was measured every other week (RIA). After 8 weeks, spleens were removed 1 day before sacrifice. In rats transplanted with cells the n-FBG was 100—150 mg/dl until the end of the study. After splenectomy, all cell recipients became diabetic (glucose 400 ± 20 mg/dl). Transplanted rats showed increase in body weight and insulin production (3.3 ± 1.0 ng/ml versus 0.92 ± 0.3 ng/ml; p < 0.01) and had normal IPGTT. Spleens contained capsules with insulin-positive cells. Overall, data from this work indicate that intrasplenic transplantation of xenogeneic encapsulated insulin-producing cells without immunosuppression reversed diabetes in rats. Excellent survival and function of the transplanted cells was due to the fact that the cells were separated from the bloodstream by the immunoisolatory membrane only and insulin was delivered directly to the liver (i.e., in a physiological manner).