Rapid Publication Molecular Detection of Circulating -Cells After Islet

Islet transplantation is a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes. However, islet grafts are submitted to multi-ple injuries, including immunosuppressive drug toxic-ity, hyperglycemia, hypoxia, unspecific inflammatory reactions, as well as allo- and autoimmune destruction. Therapeutic approaches to these damage mechanisms require early detection of islet injury, which is currently not feasible because of the lack of efficient markers. Based on the hypothesis of islet dissociation and release of islet cells into the circulation during islet injury, we designed a highly sensitive and specific molecular assay, able to detect two -cells per milliliter of venous blood by RT-PCR of insulin mRNA. We report that circulating -cells can be demonstrated up to 10 weeks after intra-portal islet transplantation, as assessed after six isle