Novel Sulfated Glucomannan-Barium-Alginate Microcapsules in Islet Transplantation: Significantly Decreased the Secretion of Monocyte Chemotactic Protein 1 and Improved the Activity of Islet in Rats

The sulfated glucomannan can be used to filter the heparin-binding properties of cytokines. In this study, novel sulfated glucomannan-barium-alginate (SGA) microcapsules were prepared to encapsulate islets with barium-alginate (ABa) and calcium alginate-poly-l-lysine (APA) microcapsules as controls. SD rat islets were purified as donor cells to Lewis rats that had been treated with streptozotocin. Intraperitoneal transplantation was performed with about 3000 islet equivalent (IEQ) rat. At week three after transplantation, the concentrations of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-1 β, interferon (IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in intraperitoneal fluid were determined using ELISA. At week 8, the islet cell mass in the abdominal microcapsules was excised to test insulin release. The EB-FDA fluorescence staining method was used to observe the functional activity of the islet cells. Compared with ABa and APA microcapsules, SGA microcapsules showed significantly decreased MCP-1 secretion by β-cells. Also, the concentrations of cytokines IL-1β, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were decreased significantly. The activity of the transplanted islets was significantly improved in SGA microcapsules, which shielded against cytokines better than ABa or APA microcapsules and may serve as novel method.