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Clinical islet transplantation in Japan

  • Topics
  • HBP treatment using cell transplantation in the near future
  • Published:
Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery

Abstract

Introduction

The results of clinical islet transplantation in Japan are, here in, reported and discussed its efficacy and problems.

Methods

Since the first islet transplantation was performed in 2004, 65 islet isolations and 34 islet transplantations to 18 type 1 diabetic patients have been performed in Japan.

Results

Following islet transplantation, patients experienced decreased insulin requirements and lower hemoglobin A1C levels, and positive serum C-peptide levels. All patients achieved stabilized blood glucose levels and the disappearance of hypoglycemic unawareness. Although three patients achieved insulin independency for a limited period, persistent islet graft function was difficult to maintain. Overall islet graft survival was 86.5% at 6 months, 78.7% at 1 year, and 62.9% at 2 years after the first islet transplantation. In our institution, we carried out 23 islet isolations and six islet transplantations to four patients. Although insulin independency was not achieved, all patients showed a disappearance of hypoglycemic unawareness.

Conclusions

Using data from the Japanese Trial of Islet Transplantation, the effectiveness of islet transplantation was shown even when using the pancreata from non-heart-beating donors. Although there are a number of problems to be solved and further improvement is needed, we can state that the introduction of clinical islet transplantation offers hope for type 1 diabetic patients.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for Human Genome and Regenerative Medicine. We also thank all members of the Working Group for their valuable support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Chiba-East National Hospital, National Hospital Organization (NHO), 673 Nitonacho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8712, Japan

    Takashi Kenmochi, Michihiro Maruyama, Kenichi Saigo, Naotake Akutsu, Chikara Iwashita, Kazunori Ohtsuki & Taihei Ito

  2. Clinical Research Center, Chiba-East National Hospital, National Hospital Organization (NHO), 673 Nitonacho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8712, Japan

    Takashi Kenmochi

  3. Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan

    Takehide Asano

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  1. Takashi Kenmochi
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Correspondence to Takashi Kenmochi.

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Kenmochi, T., Asano, T., Maruyama, M. et al. Clinical islet transplantation in Japan. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 16, 124–130 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00534-008-0020-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00534-008-0020-3

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