Alginate-Catechol Cross-Linking Interferes with Insulin Secretion Capacity in Isolated Murine Islet Cells

• Published in: Diabetes & metabolism journal Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 164 - 168
• Main Authors: Yu-sik Kim, Seung-woo Cho, Bomin Ko, Jisoo Shin, Chul Woo Ahn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한당뇨병학회 30.04.2018
• Subjects: Alginic acid; Catechol; Diabetes mellitus; Hydrogel; Islets of Langerhans transplantation; type 1
• ISSN: 2233-6079; 2233-6087

Over the past three decades, human pancreatic islet isolation and transplantation techniques have developed as a routine clinical procedure for selected patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, due to the donor shortage and required chronic systemic immunosuppression, the widespread application of islet transplantation is limited. To overcome these limitations, providing a physical barrier to transplanted islet cells with encapsulating biomaterial has emerged as a promising approach to enhance engraftment and promote islet survival post-transplantation. Alginate has been considered to be a reliable biomaterial, as it enhances islet survival and does not hamper hormone secretion. Alginate-catechol (Al-CA) hydrogel was reported to provide high mechanical strength and chemical stability without deformation over a wide range of pH values. In this study, we, demonstrated, for the first time in the literature, that encapsulation of murine pancreatic islet cells with Al-CA hydrogel does not induce cytotoxicity ex vivo for an extended period; however, it does markedly abate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Catechol should not be considered as a constituent for alginate gelation for encapsulating islet cells in the application of islet transplantation.