evaluation of a hybrid drug-delivery nanosystem for fibrosis prevention in cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes.

Implantation of insulin-secreting cells has been trialed as a treatment for Type 1 diabetes mellitus; however, the host immunogenic response limits their effectiveness. The authors developed a core-shell nanostructure of upconversion nanoparticle-mesoporous silica for controlled local delivery of an immunomodulatory agent, MCC950, using near-infrared light and validated it in models of fibrosis. The individual components of the nanosystem did not affect the proliferation of insulin-secreting cells, unlike fibroblast proliferation (p < 0.01). The nanosystem is effective at releasing MCC950 and preventing fibroblast differentiation (p < 0.01), inflammation (IL-6 expression; p < 0.05) and monocyte adhesion (p < 0.01). This MCC950-loaded nanomedicine system could be used in the future together with insulin-secreting cell implants to increase their longevity as a curative treatment for Type 1 diabetes mellitus.