Treatment of type 1 diabetes with porcine islet cells: transplantation of multi-transgenic islets expressing immunomodulatory molecules (C03)

Subject Area Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism
Immunology
Term from 2012 to 2024
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 213602983
 

Project Description

We have shown that immune rejection against porcine islets is significantly reduced by overexpression of immunomodulatory molecules targeting co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory receptors/ligands. The present project focuses on the identification of specific knockout and transgene combinations that establish long-lasting immune tolerance in combination with a clinically applicable minimised immunosuppression. Furthermore, transplantation experiments with novel innovative immunosuppressive drugs will be performed in relevant preclinical animal models. The results of these studies will be crucial for the development of a protocol for the first clinical pilot trial on free porcine islet transplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes.
DFG Programme CRC/Transregios
Subproject of TRR 127:  Biology of Xenogeneic Cell and Organ Transplantation - From Bench to Bedside
Applicant Institution Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Project Heads Professor Dr. Jochen Seissler; Lelia Wolf-van Bürck