Encapsulation Research Update
The counterpart project to Islet Cell Genesis Project is the Encapsulation Project (EP). Given a source of renewable cells or islets, they will need to be protected from the immune system. Currently, this need is managed by a life-long regiment of immunosuppressive drugs.
Encapsulating islets in a polymer bead allows insulin, glucose and other nutrients to pass through while protecting the islets from the body’s immune system. This is a technology currently under development; we strongly believe in the future of islet cell replacement therapy.
As of February 2011, the CDP is happy to report on a newly accepted publication in the Journal of Surgical Research http://www.journalofsurgicalresearch.com/article/S0022-4804(11)00066-7/abstract. Primarily conducted by Dr. Merigeng Qi, the article entitled, ‘A Recommended Laparoscopic Procedure for Implantation of Microcapsules in the Peritoneal Cavity of Non-human Primates ,’ is a description of a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure for the implantation of microcapsules into the abdomen of baboons.
An important finding of the paper is the fact that there is no immune reaction or clean and intact capsules up to 4 months after implantation of the PMCG capsule. The exception is one case where it was observed that capsules that came into direct contact with blood resulted in a inflammatory response. This is an important milestone and bears clinical significance as, according to the authors, “Given the current widespread clinical application of laparoscopy ... this presented laparoscopy technique could be applied in future clinical trials of microencapsulated islet transplantation.”
As of March 2011, the CDP is also happy to report on another newly accepted paper to appear in the journal Acta Biomaterialia http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/702994/description#description. Entitled ‘Alginate Microbeads are Complement-compatible in contrast to Polycation containing Microcapsules Revealed by a Human Whole Blood Animal Model.’
The study is the first of many to understand the immune’s system’s complement activation mechanisms in response biomaterials used in microcapsules that come into direct contact with blood. This new test and understanding will serve as the basis in the new Diasolve Project. Once again, as of March 2011, the CDP is proud to announce that Dr. Igor Lacík Head of the Department of Special Polymers and Biopolymers at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, has received funding support from the Slovak Research and Development Agency.
Dr. Lacík will receive a total of €249,000 ($349,000 USD). The Diasolve Project will be a collaborate effort between the Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology at Trondheim (NTNU), and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
As shown above with baboons in the Journal of Surgical Research publication, microcapsule contamination with blood can cause an inflammatory reaction. As a result, it was believed that studies examining the reaction of capsules with human blood were needed. Especially as capsule performance varies with among different animal models. The result is a new publication where CDP scientists, led by Dr. Ann Mari from NTNU created and tested a new “human whole blood model” that can be used as an inflammatory predictor by measuring complement and leukocyte (white blood cell) stimulation. More importantly, this new whole blood model can serve as a basis to optimize capsules for use in the human body.
Although this data is promising, the road to perfecting encapsulation technology is still long. There are still many factors to consider, especially across different pre-clinical animal models.
These studies were conducted as part of the CDP, and was sponsored by the Washington Square Health Foundation, the Christopher Family Foundation, the Efroymson Fund, the Wirtz Family, the UIC College of Medicine at Chicago, and most importantly, by readers like you.
Full article: http://www.journalofsurgicalresearch.com/article/S0022-4804%2811%2900066-7/abstract