Treatment of type 1 diabetes with porcine islet cells: transplantation of multi-transgenic islets expressing immunomodulatory molecules (C03)

• Subject Area: Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism ; Immunology
• Term: since 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 213602983

We have shown that immune rejection against porcine islets is significantly reduced by overexpression of immunomodulatory molecules targeting co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory receptors/ligands. The present project focuses on the identification of specific knockout and transgene combinations that establish long-lasting immune tolerance in combination with a clinically applicable minimised immunosuppression. Furthermore, transplantation experiments with novel innovative immunosuppressive drugs will be performed in relevant preclinical animal models. The results of these studies will be crucial for the development of a protocol for the first clinical pilot trial on free porcine islet transplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 127: Biology of Xenogeneic Cell and Organ Transplantation - From Bench to Bedside
• Applicant Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Jochen Seissler; Lelia Wolf-van Bürck