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Horm Metab Res 2015; 47(01): 24-30
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394375
Endocrine Care
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Oxygen Supply by Photosynthesis to an Implantable Islet Cell Device

Y. Evron
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
B. Zimermann
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
B. Ludwig
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
2   University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Department of Medicine III, Dresden, Germany
,
U. Barkai
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
C. K. Colton
3   Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
,
G. C. Weir
4   Section of islet Transplantation and Cell Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Research Division, One Joslin Place, Boston, USA
,
B. Arieli
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
S. Maimon
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
N. Shalev
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
K. Yavriyants
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
T. Goldman
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
Z. Gendler
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
L. Eizen
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
,
P. Vardi
5   Diabetes and Obesity Research Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel
,
K. Bloch
5   Diabetes and Obesity Research Laboratory, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel
,
A. Barthel
2   University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Department of Medicine III, Dresden, Germany
6   Endokrinologikum Ruhr, Bochum, Germany
,
S. R. Bornstein
2   University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Department of Medicine III, Dresden, Germany
,
A. Rotem
1   Beta-O2 Technologies, Rosh Ha’ain, Afek Park, Israel
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 04 August 2014

accepted 23 September 2014

Publication Date:
03 November 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Transplantation of islet cells is an effective treatment for type 1 diabetes with critically labile metabolic control. However, during islet isolation, blood supply is disrupted, and the transport of nutrients/metabolites to and from the islet cells occurs entirely by diffusion. Adequate oxygen supply is essential for function/survival of islet cells and is the limiting factor for graft integrity. Recently, we developed an immunoisolated chamber system for transplantation of human islets without immunosuppression. This system depended on daily oxygen supply. To provide independence from this external source, we incorporated a novel approach based on photosynthetically-generated oxygen. The chamber system was packed sandwich-like with a slab of immobilized photosynthetically active microorganisms (Synechococcus lividus) on top of a flat light source (LEDs, red light at 660 nm, intensity of 8 μE/m2/s). Islet cells immobilized in an alginate slab (500–1 000 islet equivalents/cm2) were mounted on the photosynthetic slab separated by a gas permeable silicone rubber-Teflon membrane, and the complete module was sealed with a microporous polytetrafluorethylene (Teflon) membrane (pore size: 0.4 μm) to protect the contents from the host immune cells. Upon illumination, oxygen produced by photosynthesis diffused via the silicone Teflon membrane into the islet compartment. Oxygen production from implanted encapsulated microorganisms was stable for 1 month. After implantation of the device into diabetic rats, normoglycemia was achieved for 1 week. Upon retrieval of the device, blood glucose levels returned to the diabetic state. Our results demonstrate that an implanted photosynthetic bioreactor can supply oxygen to transplanted islets and thus maintain islet viability/functionality.

Key words

type 1 diabetes - bioartificial pancreas - cyanobacteria

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