Development of microtissue therapeutic system based on mixed multicellular spheroids

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670257
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied pharmacology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: NISHIKAWA Makiya 京都大学, 薬学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (40273437)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAKURA Yoshinobu 京都大学, 薬学研究科, 教授 (30171432) ; TAKAHASHI Yuki 京都大学, 薬学研究科, 助教 (00547870)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞治療 / スフェロイド / 幹細胞 / 移植

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To optimize the function of insulin-secreting cells for effective cell-based therapy for type 1 diabetics, we developed mixed multicellular spheroids using insulin-secreting MIN6 cells together with endothelial MAEC cells or with fibroblast NIH3T3 cells. Fluorescence microscopy imaging of spheroids consisting of fluorescently labeled cells showed that MIN6 and MAEC cells almost evenly distributed within the spheroids, whereas in MIN6/NIH3T3 spheroids, NIH3T3 cells were surrounded by MIN6 cells. Insulin secretion from MIN6 cells was upregulated by spheroid formation, and the MIN6/MAEC spheroid more efficiently secreted insulin upon glucose stimulation. Transplantation of the MIN6/MAEC spheroids showed a remarkable reduction in the blood glucose level of diabetic model mice.

Free Research Field

生物薬剤学