Immunosuppressive PLGA TGF-β1 Microparticles Induce Polyclonal and Antigen-Specific Regulatory T Cells for Local Immunomodulation of Allogeneic Islet Transplants.

Allogeneic islet transplantation is a promising cell-based therapy for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). The long-term efficacy of this approach, however, is impaired by allorejection. Current clinical practice relies on long-term systemic immunosuppression, leading to severe adverse events.

In vitro platform establishes antigen-specific CD8 T cell cytotoxicity to encapsulated cells via indirect antigen recognition.

The curative potential of non-autologous cellular therapy is hindered by the requirement of anti-rejection therapy. Cellular encapsulation within nondegradable biomaterials has the potential to inhibit immune rejection, but the efficacy of this approach in robust preclinical and clinical models remains poor. While the responses of innate immune cells to the encapsulating material have been characterized, little attention has been paid to the contributions of adaptive immunity in encapsulated graft destabilization.