Determining The Potential For Porcine Foetal Islet Xenotransplantation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$351,660.00
Summary
Tight glucose control by insulin injection minimises diabetic complications but restricts lifestyle. An alternative, pancreatic islet transplantation, is limited by donor shortage. With genetic technology, pig donor tissue is a feasible donor source. This project will use an inbred pig colony to assess long term foetal pig islet function in the absence of an immune response. It will outline the genetic characteristics of this pig colony and carefully catalogue the type, number and distribution o ....Tight glucose control by insulin injection minimises diabetic complications but restricts lifestyle. An alternative, pancreatic islet transplantation, is limited by donor shortage. With genetic technology, pig donor tissue is a feasible donor source. This project will use an inbred pig colony to assess long term foetal pig islet function in the absence of an immune response. It will outline the genetic characteristics of this pig colony and carefully catalogue the type, number and distribution of endogenous retroviruses within pig genes. It may provide a basis from which new strategies can be developed to overcome rejection. Ultimately a unique Australian resource will be developed which may provide unlimited islets for safe, large-scale transplantation of diabetics before they develop debilitating complications.Read moreRead less
PRE CLINICAL TRIAL WITH FETAL PIG INSULIN-PRODUCING CELLS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$292,416.00
Summary
If fetal pig cells are to be of value in normalizing blood glucose levels in diabetic people once transplanted, they must survive and mature after being grafted. The pre-clinical study proposed will examine several novel issues that are of direct relevance to future clinical trials. The diabetic pig will be used as recipient to address when the fetal cell matures after it is transplanted, how long the grafted cells will maintain normal blood glucose levels, and at which site it is most appropria ....If fetal pig cells are to be of value in normalizing blood glucose levels in diabetic people once transplanted, they must survive and mature after being grafted. The pre-clinical study proposed will examine several novel issues that are of direct relevance to future clinical trials. The diabetic pig will be used as recipient to address when the fetal cell matures after it is transplanted, how long the grafted cells will maintain normal blood glucose levels, and at which site it is most appropriate to transplant the cells. The baboon will be used as recipient to address the safety of transplanting the pig cells, especially from the pig endogenous retrovirus, and whether the immunosuppressive regime proposed for use in humans will prevent cellular rejection. The diabetic baboon will be used in the final experiment step to determine if normalization of blood glucose levels can be achieved in this xenografted animal just as it can in the diabetic pig.Read moreRead less