Objective To summarize the feasibility and safety of the islet cells co-transplantation with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in the treatment of diabetes. Methods The latest progress and new achievements of islet cells transplantation and BMSCs transplantation in treatment of diabetes in the world were analyzed and reviewed. Results At present, the pancreas transplantation and the islet cells transplantation were mainly treatments for diabetes, the pancreas transplantation had disadvantages of large trauma and high mortality; the islet cells transplantation was safe, but had disadvantages of strong rejection, and the survival time of islets cells were short which affected the treatment effect of diabetes. The BMSCs co-transplanted with the islet cells could prolong the survival time of islet cells and could alleviate the rejection in body, so the co-transplantation can be more effective in treatment of diabetes. Conclusion The BMSCs co-transplant with the islet cells could reduce the rejection in vivo, reduce the inflammation in vivo, prolong the survival time of islet cells, extend the time of normal glucose, which may become the new treatment method for the diabetes.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the 3-year follow-up results of allogeneic islets combined with autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) transplantation in treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1MD). MethodsThe clinicopathologic data of recipients underwent allogeneic islet cells combined with (or without) PBSC transplantation in the Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2017 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The allogeneic islet cells combined with (or without) PBSC were infused into the liver by percutaneous hepatic portal vein puncture. Then the modified Edmonton immunosuppressive regimen was used after the operation. The recipients were followed-up for 3 years, and the insulin usage, C-peptide, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were analyzed. ResultsThere were 5 recipients of allogeneic islet cell transplantation alone (named as alone group) and 5 recipients of allogeneic islet cell combined with PBSC transplantation (named as combined group). The gender, age, body mass index, preoperative insulin dosage, and HbA1c concentration of the recipients in the two groups were similar. ① The numbers of islets transplanted in the alone group and combined group were (50.60±2.51)×104 islet equivalent quantity (IEQ) and (48.70±4.76)×104 IEQ, respectively, and the number of PBSC transplanted in the combined group was (9.2±2.6)×107. ② In the alone group and combined group, there were 3 cases and 3 cases of insulin withdrawal at the 12th month, as well as 2 cases and 3 cases of insulin withdrawal at the 36th month after operation, respectively. The postoperative insulin dosages of the two groups were decreased as compared with that before operation, and which of the combined group showed a lower trend as compared with the alone group within 12 months after operation. ③ The C-peptide level at the fasting in the alone group peaked at 24th month after operation and began to decline, and which at the fasting and postprandial 2 h peaked at 12th month after operation and began to decline, but that at postprandial 2 h began to increase slightly at 24th month in the combined group, and which showed a higher trend at 12th and 36th month after operation in the combined group as compared with the alone group. ④ Within 36 months after operation, the HbA1c concentrations of the two groups decreased at different times after operation as compared with those before operation, and basically maintained a normal and stable level at 6 months after operation, and the change trend of the two groups was basically similar. ⑤ There were no obvious immune rejection and adverse reactions in the two groups. ConclusionFrom the preliminary results of this study, PBSC has a certain protective effect on islet transplantation, which improves the clinical efficacy of allograft islet transplantation for 3 years, but the long-term efficacy still needs to be observed, and the mechanism still needs to be further explored.