Optimal Time to Ship Human Islets Post Tissue Culture to Maximize Islet Recovery

Abstract

Access to functional high-quality pancreatic human islets is critical to advance diabetes research. The Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP), a major source for human islet distribution for over 15 years, conducted a study to evaluate the most advantageous times to ship islets postisolation to maximize islet recovery. For the evaluation, three experienced IIDP Islet Isolation Centers each provided samples from five human islet isolations, shipping 10,000 islet equivalents (IEQ) at four different time periods postislet isolation (no 37°C culture and shipped within 0 to 18 hours; or held in 37°C culture for 18 to 42, 48 to 96, or 144 to 192 hours). A central evaluation center compared samples for islet quantity, quality, and viability for each experimental condition preshipment and postshipment, as well as post 37°C culture 18 to 24 hours after shipment receipt. Additional evaluations included measures of functional potency by static glucose-stimulated insulin release (GSIR), represented as a stimulation index. Comparing the results of the four preshipment holding periods, the greatest IEQ loss postshipment occurred with the shortest preshipment times. Similar patterns emerged when comparing preshipment to postculture losses. In vitro islet function (GSIR) was not adversely impacted by increased tissue culture time. These data indicate that allowing time for islet recovery postisolation, prior to shipping, yields less islet loss during shipment without decreasing islet function.

Contribution of a Single Islet Transplant Program to Basic Researchers in North America, Europe, and Asia through Distributing Human Islets

“…As mentioned before, our priority is clinical transplantation, which sometimes prevents scheduling shipping activity. For logistical and operational reasons, we may have to extend a culture preservation period for a few days [10] or distribute islets only to local researchers. Third, we use only one particular courier service.…”

Glucose Transporters Are Key Components of the Human Glucostat

“…Only islets from donors without diabetes were used for the study based on the criterion of HbA 1c <6% ( Supplementary Table 1 ). HbA 1c is the preferred marker for evaluation of organ donors without a history of diabetes, because rigorous testing is typically not feasible in organ donations, and BG readings may be abnormal due to acute illness and/or medical interventions ( 38–40 ). Islets were transplanted into NSG mice on the day of shipment or were cultured in a ultra-low attachment six-well plate (Corning, 3471) or T75 flask (Thermo Fisher Scientific, 174952) in PIM(S) medium (Prodo Laboratories, PIM-S001GMP) supplemented with human AB serum supplements (Prodo Laboratories, PIM-ABS001GMP), Glutamine/glutathione supplement (Prodo Laboratories, PIM-G001GMP) and triple antibiotic supplement (Prodo Laboratories, PIM-3X001GMP) at 37°C with 5% CO 2 .…”

Ascorbic acid enhances the cold preservation period of human adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stromal cells

“…Ensuring that the quality of therapeutic cells remains stable during the post-production process until the cells are administered to patients is a critical issue [ 1 ]. In terms of the rationale for setting the preservation period, it is assumed that 48–72 h is the optimal period for quality control from the cell processing center to on-site clinical use of the cells [ [2] , [3] , [4] ].…”