Human Amniotic Epithelial Cells (hAECs) enhance islet engraftment by suppressing early inflammation in rats

Type 1 Diabetes often requires islet transplantation, but this therapy faces significant challenges. A major hurdle is the substantial early loss of transplanted islets, often exceeding 50%, due to the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR) and other inflammatory responses. This initial inflammation compromises engraftment and long-term graft survival, limiting the efficacy of islet transplantation and often necessitating multiple infusions. Current strategies to mitigate this early loss are insufficient, leaving a critical gap in improving graft survival. Amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) possess known immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, making them a promising adjunctive cellular therapy to mitigate this early graft loss and improve overall outcomes.