Microencapsulation for the cell and molecular therapy of type 1 diabetes mellitus: actual state and future perspectives between promise and progress

AbstractThe history of microencapsulation of live cells starts from an old idea of Thomas M. S. Chang in 1964, thereafter applied to isolated pancreatic islets by Anthony M. Sun in 1980. The original aim was to provide isolated cells with an immune ‐protective shield, to prevent physical contact between the transplanted cells and the host’s immune system, with retention of the microcapsules’ biocompatibility and physical‐chemical properties over time. In particular, this revolutionary approach essentially applied to islet grafts, in di abetic not immunosuppressed recipients, at pre‐clinical (rodents), and subsequently clinical level. Among the different chemistries potentially suitable for microencapsulation of live cells, alginic acid (AG)‐based polymers, originally proposed by Sun, proved to be superior to all others, in the following decades. In fact, only AG‐based microcapsules, containing allogeneic islets, ultimately entered pilot human clinical trials in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, since immuno‐selectiveness and biocompatibility of AG‐hydrogels were never matched by other biopolymers. With proble ms related to human islet procurement coming into a sharper focus, in conjunction with technical limits of the encapsulated islet grafting procedures, new challenges are actually being pursued, with special regard to developing both, new cellular systems, able to release immunomodulatory molecules a nd insulin itself, and new microencapsulation me...
Source: Journal of Diabetes Investigation - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Tags: REVIEW Source Type: research