Human Serum versus Human Serum Albumin Supplementation in Human Islet Pretransplantation Culture: In Vitro and in Vivo Assessment

Abstract

There is conflicting evidence favoring both the use of human serum (HS) and of human serum albumin (HSA) in human islet culture. We evaluated the effects of HS versus HSA supplementation on 1) in vitro β-cell viability and function and 2) in vivo islet graft revascularization, islet viability, β-cell death, and metabolic outcome after transplantation. Islets isolated from 14 cadaveric organ donors were cultured for 3 days in CMRL 1066 medium supplemented with HS or HSA. After 3 days in culture, β-cell apoptosis was lower in HS group (1.41 ± 0.27 vs. 2.38 ± 0.39%, p = 0.029), and the recovery of islets was 77 ± 11% and 54 ± 1% in HS- and HSA-cultured groups, respectively. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was higher in HS group (29.4, range 10.4-99.9, vs. 22.3, range 8.7-70.6, p = 0.031). In vivo viability and revascularization was determined in HS-and HSA-cultured islets transplanted into the anterior chamber of the eye of Balb/c mice ( n = 14), and β-cell apoptosis in paraffin-embedded mouse eyes. Islet viability and β-cell apoptosis were similar in both groups. Revascularization was observed in one graft (HS group) on day 10 after transplantation. Islet function was determined in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic nude mice ( n = 33) transplanted with 2,000 IEQs cultured with HS or HSA that showed similar blood glucose levels and percentage of normoglycemic animals over time. In conclusion, human islets cultured in medium supplemented with HS showed higher survival in vitro, as well as islet viability and function. The higher in vitro survival increased the number of islets available for transplantation. However, the beneficial effect on viability and function did not translate into an improved metabolic evolution when a similar number of HSA- and HS-cultured islets was transplanted.