Cryopreservation of Human Insulin Expressing Cells Macro-Encapsulated in a Durable Therapeutic Immunoisolating Device Theracyte

Author: Yakhnenko Ilya   Wong Wallace K.   Katkov Igor I.   Itkin-Ansari Pamela  

Publisher: Cryoletters

ISSN: 1742-0644

Source: Cryoletters, Vol.33, Iss.6, 2012-11, pp. : 518-531

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Abstract

Encapsulating insulin producing cells (INPCs) in an immunoisolation device have been shown to cure diabetes in rodents without the need for immunosuppression.h However, micro-encapsulation in semi-solid gels raises longevity and safety concerns for future use of stem cell derived INPCs. We have focused on a durable and retrievable macro-encapsulation (>106 cells) device (TheraCyte). Cryopreservation (CP) of cells preloaded into the device is highly desirable but may require prolonged exposure to cryoprotectants during loading and post-thaw manipulations. Here, we are reporting survival and function of a human islet cell line frozen as single cells or as islet-like cell clusters. The non-clusterized cells exhibited high cryosurvival after prolonged pre-freeze or post-thaw exposure to 10%-DMSO. However, both clusterization and especially loading INPCs into the device reduced viable yield even without CP. The survived cryopreserved macro-encapsulated INPCs remained fully functional suggesting that CP of macro-encapsulated cells is a promising tool for cell based therapies.