Adenovirus-mediated catalase gene transfer reduces oxidant stress in human, porcine and rat pancreatic islets.

Susceptibility of pancreatic islets to oxidant stress may affect islet viability and contribute to primary non function of allo- or xenogenic grafts. We investigated the influence of overexpression of catalase (CAT) on the viability of human, porcine and rat islets, as well as INS-1 beta-cell line. Islets were transfected with a replication-deficient adenovirus vector containing human CAT cDNA under the control of the adenovirus major late promoter (AdCAT) or a vector containing no foreign gene (AdNull) and used as a control.

Strategies for graft immunomodulation in islet transplantation.

Immunomodulation of islets aims at reducing graft immunogenicity and vulnerability to attack by immune competent cells and inflammatory mediators. Data from he International Islet Transplant Registry clearly establish this aspect as a central issue for the future of islet and endocrine cell transplantation. A primary target for graft immunomodulation is donor-derived costimulatory activity.