PANCREATIC ΒCELL TRANSPLANTATION AS ONE OF THE MOST PERSPECTIVE METHODS FOR TREATING TYPE I DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

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Background. Type I diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune endocrine disease caused by pancreatic islets destruction, and insulin deficiency leading to chronic hyperglycemia. Nowadays new methods of diabetes treatment such as insulin-producing cells therapy are being actively developed. Aim. The main goal of this work is to evaluate advantages, disadvantages and prospects of modern β-cells transplantation techniques. Material and Methods. Analysis of scientific literature from Medline and Scopus databases for the last 20 years. Results and Discussion. The strategy of obtaining β-cells includes differentiation of stem cells, reprogramming of mature specialized cells, autologous or donor cells isolation and xenotransplantation technology.The process is associated with a minor surgical intervention. Thus, the cells are injected into the portal vein through a catheter, installed under the ultrasound control. Islet cells can also be transplanted to the liver parenchyma, the pulp of the spleen, splenic artery, rectus abdominis, peritoneal cavity, greater omentum and even subcutaneously. The main problem of β-cells therapy is still the immunoprotection of transplants. Leading strategies include drug immunosuppression and macro-or microencapsulation using biodegradable scaffolds. However, transplantation of autologous cells is more promising as it can remove necessity of immunoprotection at all. Conclusions. High cost, complexity of implementation and uncertain consequences of such cell therapy create obstacles for its wide application in clinical practice. Existing methods do not allow the patient to get rid of the disease once and for all. Nevertheless, β-cells transplantation has great prospects as a technology that can radically change the approach to the treatment of diabetes.