Effectiveness of Neovascularization Surrounding Engrafted Islets by Matrigel With Additional Growth Factors in Intramuscular Islet Transplantation

G. Yoshimatsu,^1,2 N. Sakata,² H. Tsuchiya,² M. Takita,³ M. Levy,³ B. Naziruddin,³ M. Unno.²

¹Islet Cell Laboratory, Baylor Research Institute, Dallas, TX
²Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
³Baylor Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute, Dallas, TX.

Meeting: 2015 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: B35

Keywords: Efficacy, Engraftment, Mice

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session B: Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapies

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Sunday, May 3, 2015

Session Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm

Presentation Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm

Location: Exhibit Hall E

Introduction: Intramuscular islet transplantation is one of the promising transplant sites because of safety, easy accessibility and less invasive procedure. However the efficacy of the intramuscular transplantation is controversial in contrast to intraportal transplantation. Matrigel, which consist of mainly collagen matrix, can support as a scaffold for transplanted islets. Growth factor(s) can be easily added to Matrigel. In this study, we demonstrated the effectiveness for neovascularization of islets transplanted with Matrigel containing additional growth factors.

Method: BALB/c mice (9 week old male) were used both donors and recipients. Islets were transplanted into femur muscle in three groups of mice: islets alone (IG), Matrigel with islets (MG-I) and Matrigel containing additional growth factors comprised of EGF, PDGF, IGF-1 with islets (MG-IG). The number of transplanted islets was 200. Blood glucose was measured for 1 month. For immunohistological analysis, CD31 was stained for quantification of vessels, and the number of blood vessels was counted inside of islets and around islets.

Result: MG-IG significantly improved glycemic control in comparison to MG-I (MG-IG vs MG-I, p=0.022), although MG-I also significantly improved it more than IG (MG-I vs IG, p=0.043). The number of CD31 positive blood vessels in islets was almost similar in the each of the three groups. However, number of blood vessels surrounding islets were significantly increased in MG-IG when compared to IG and MG-I (MG-IG vs IG; p<0.0001, MG-IG vs MG-I; p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Matrigel comprised of extra cellular matrices can play a supporting role as scaffold for islets in intramuscular transplantation. Addition of growth factors into Matrigel induced neovascularization surrounding engrafted islets and this further improved glycemic control. Thus intramuscular islet transplantation using Matrigel containing growth factors is a safe and efficient method to improve glycemic control for diabetes.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Yoshimatsu G, Sakata N, Tsuchiya H, Takita M, Levy M, Naziruddin B, Unno M. Effectiveness of Neovascularization Surrounding Engrafted Islets by Matrigel With Additional Growth Factors in Intramuscular Islet Transplantation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/effectiveness-of-neovascularization-surrounding-engrafted-islets-by-matrigel-with-additional-growth-factors-in-intramuscular-islet-transplantation/. Accessed June 29, 2025.

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