Co-transplantation of neonatal porcine islets with Sertoli cells combined with short-term monoclonal antibody therapy in preventing neonatal porcine islet xenograft rejection

• Author / Creator

  Ramji, Qahir A.

• The need for an unlimited source of islets and a safer method of immunosuppression has limited the widespread application of islet transplantation. To remedy the shortage of donor tissue, xenotransplantation of neonatal porcine islets (NPI) has been proposed. In this study we sought to determine if combining co-transplantation of NPI with Sertoli cells (SC) with a short-term monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy would prevent NPI xenograft rejection. We hypothesize that this combination of treatments will lead to long-term NPI xenograft survival. Our result show a significant increase in the proportion of mice achieving long-term graft survival compared to untreated mice transplanted with NPI alone, as 7/7 mice treated with anti-LFA-1 mAb (p=0.001), 7/8 mice treated with anti-CD154 mAb (p=0.003), and 4/9 mice treated with anti-CD45RB mAb (p=0.020) achieved and maintained normoglycemia long-term. Therefore, we conclude that the combination of mAb therapy with SC is highly efficacious in preventing NPI xenograft rejection.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Sertoli cells
  • Anti-CD45RB monoclonal antibody
  • Anti-LFA-1 monoclonal antibody
  • Neonatal porcine islets
  • Anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody
  • Islet xenotransplantation

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R38659

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.