Treating Diabetes by Implanting Pancreatic Tissue Under the Skin... UNIST Develops Treatment Method

A new diabetes treatment method that transplants pancreatic tissue under the skin to regulate blood sugar has been developed.

The research team led by Professor Kang Hyun-wook from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNIST (President Park Jong-rae) developed an islet transplant that can regulate blood sugar even when implanted in subcutaneous tissue.

Research team (clockwise from top left): Professor Kang Hyun-wook, Researcher Kim Min-kyung, Researcher Shin Ji-young, Researcher Heo Jun-ho (first author).

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Islets are clusters of pancreatic cells that secrete insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, and are transplanted into the liver or kidney of patients with type 1 diabetes who suffer from severe insulin secretion disorders for treatment. The developed transplant can be performed with a simple incision and, unlike the liver or kidney, can be immediately retrieved in case of side effects, which is expected to reduce surgical burden and complications.

The reason islets have been transplanted into the liver or kidney so far is due to their rich blood vessels. Through these, the islets receive oxygen and nutrients and sense blood sugar to perform their insulin secretion function. Subcutaneous tissue, which has a low vascular density, was not considered a target.

The research team succeeded in developing a highly efficient transplant even in subcutaneous tissue by devising a multilayer sheet-type structure. The structure concentrates islets in the upper and lower layers of the transplant to minimize the distance between blood vessels and islets. Additionally, the distribution density of the islets is precisely controlled to ensure sufficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients. All materials composing the transplant, except for the islets, are biocompatible materials.

The complex structure of the transplant was fabricated using precision bio 3D printing. This allows production in sizes suitable for implantation under human skin, making clinical applicability very excellent.

Image of a 3D printed islet transplant.

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Moreover, anti-fibrotic drugs that suppress immune responses are incorporated inside the transplant for localized delivery, showing potential in the field of xenogeneic islet transplantation, where animal islets are transplanted into humans. Currently, islet transplantation mainly involves islets isolated from the patient's own pancreas or from organ donors.

Diabetic mice that received the developed islet transplant maintained blood sugar regulation effects for four months. The research team is continuing studies to apply the developed transplant clinically and is preparing for large animal experiments.

Conceptual diagram of subcutaneous islet transplantation.

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Professor Kang Hyun-wook stated, "This research presents a new and groundbreaking approach to developing treatment technology for type 1 diabetes," adding, "It can greatly contribute to improving the quality of life for many diabetes patients."

This study was pre-published online on September 23, 2024, in the world-renowned journal Advanced Materials and was conducted through the Industrial Technology Alchemist Project funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT).

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