Amniotic epithelial cells enhance islet engraftment by suppressing early inflammation in intraportal transplantation.
K, O., K, T., M, T., Y, W., H, O., T, I., M, S., M, U., T, M., & M, G. (2026). Amniotic epithelial cells enhance islet engraftment by suppressing early inflammation in intraportal transplantation.. Cell transplantation. https://doi.org/10.1177/09636897261464036
K O, K T, M T, Y W, H O, T I, et al. Amniotic epithelial cells enhance islet engraftment by suppressing early inflammation in intraportal transplantation.. Cell transplantation. 2026; doi: 10.1177/09636897261464036
K O, K T, M T, et al. Amniotic epithelial cells enhance islet engraftment by suppressing early inflammation in intraportal transplantation.[J]. Cell transplantation. 2026. DOI: 10.1177/09636897261464036.
@article{k2026,
author = {Okada K and Tokodai K and Tanaka M and Watanabe Y and Okita H and Ito T and Saito M and Unno M and Miki T and Goto M},
title = {Amniotic epithelial cells enhance islet engraftment by suppressing early inflammation in intraportal transplantation.},
journal = {Cell transplantation},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1177/09636897261464036},
note = {PMID: 42339647},
}
TY - JOUR AU - Okada K AU - Tokodai K AU - Tanaka M AU - Watanabe Y AU - Okita H AU - Ito T AU - Saito M AU - Unno M AU - Miki T AU - Goto M TI - Amniotic epithelial cells enhance islet engraftment by suppressing early inflammation in intraportal transplantation. T2 - Cell transplantation PY - 2026 DO - 10.1177/09636897261464036 AN - PMID:42339647 ER -
Amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties that may improve outcomes in cell transplantation. However, their effect on islet engraftment after intraportal co-transplantation remains unclear. We evaluated the impact of co-transplanting syngeneic 600 islet equivalents (IEQs) with human AECs (hAECs) via the portal vein in a rat streptozotocin-induced diabetes model. The co-transplantation (Co-Tx) group showed normalization of blood glucose levels within 7 days after transplantation, sustained normoglycemia thereafter, and achieved a higher diabetes reversal rate than controls (100% vs. 71.4%, p < 0.01). Serum CXCL1 levels were significantly lower in the Co-Tx group indicating suppression of early inflammatory responses. Thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) levels also tended to be lower, raising the possibility of attenuation of the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR). In contrast, no significant differences were observed in VEGF levels or intrahepatic microvascular density. Co-transplantation with hAECs enhances islet engraftment likely through suppression of early inflammation, highlighting their potential as an adjunctive cellular therapy in islet transplantation.