Standardized Transportation of Human Islets: An Islet Cell Resource Center Study of more than 2,000 Shipments

Abstract

Preservation of cell quality during shipment of human pancreatic islets for use in laboratory research is a crucial, but neglected, topic. Mammalian cells, including islets, have been shown to be adversely affected by temperature changes in vitro and in vivo, yet protocols that control for thermal fluctuations during cell transport are lacking. To evaluate an optimal method of shipping human islets, an initial assessment of transportation conditions was conducted using standardized materials and operating procedures in 48 shipments sent to a central location by 8 pancreas-processing laboratories using a single commercial airline transporter. Optimization of preliminary conditions was conducted, and human islet quality was then evaluated in 2,338 shipments pre- and post-implementation of a finalized transportation container and standard operating procedures. The initial assessment revealed that the outside temperature ranged from a mean of −4.6±10.3°C to 20.9±4.8°C. Within-container temperature drops to or below 15°C occurred in 16 shipments (36%), while the temperature was found to be stabilized between 15–29°C in 29 shipments (64%). Implementation of an optimized transportation container and operating procedure reduced the number of within-container temperature drops (≤15°C) to 13% (n=37 of 289 winter shipments), improved the number desirably maintained between 15–29°C to 86% (n=250), but also increased the number reaching or exceeding 29°C to 1% (n=2; overall p<0.0001). Additionally, post-receipt quality ratings of excellent to good improved pre- vs. post- implementation of the standardized protocol, adjusting for pre-shipment purity/viability levels (p<0.0001). Our results show that extreme temperature fluctuations during transport of human islets, occurring when using a commercial airline transporter for long distance shipping, can be controlled using standardized containers, materials, and operating procedures. This cost-effective and pragmatic standardized protocol for the transportation of human islets can potentially be adapted for use with other mammalian cell systems, and is available online at: http://iidp.coh.org/sops.aspx.

Human islet preparations distributed for research exhibit a variety of insulin-secretory profiles

“…Decisions regarding which islet offers to accept were made based on experimental needs of our laboratory; we did not favor, request, or decline islets from a particular center. Islets were shipped overnight to Vanderbilt (20) and plated into 15 ml of CMRL1066 medium at a density of 12,000 -15,000 IEQ per 10-cm nontreated tissue culture dish (Corning, Corning, NY; cat. no.…”

“…Human islets isolated at IIDP-affiliated isolation centers are shipped overnight to recipient laboratories (20). Both the number of investigators applying to receive human islets and the total number of requested islets have risen dramatically (21).…”

Human Islet Viability and Function Is Maintained During High-density Shipment in Silicone Rubber Membrane Vessels

“…However, the expense of establishing and maintaining large numbers of islet manufacturing centers is prohibitive [5]. In order to reduce transplant recipient burden and promote research at distant establishments, it is essential to be able to ship islets in a simple, cost-effective manner while maintaining cell viability and function upon receipt [6]. …”

Architecture and Morphology of Human Pancreatic Islets

“…coh.org/) has created an automated matching system and an extremely efficient shipping mechanism to quickly ship viable human islets to multiple investigators. 9,10 More recently, the JDRF-supported nPOD program (http://www. jdrfnpod.org/) has made human pancreatic specimens (normal and diabetic) available to a growing number of investigators.…”