Name: bioluminescent monitoring of graft survival in an adoptive transfer model of autoimmune diabetes in mice
Uploaded: 2022-11-18T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Bioluminescent Monitoring of Graft Survival in an Adoptive Transfer Model of Autoimmune Diabetes in Mice at JoVE.com

We thank Dr. Erica P. Cai and Dr. Yuki Ishikawa for developing the method described in this protocol (see ref. 11). Research in S.K. and P.Y.&#39;s laboratories is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01DK120445, P30DK036836), JDRF, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and the Beatson Foundation. T.S. was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (T32 DK007260-45), and K.B. was supported in part by a fellowship from the Mary K. Iacocca Foundation.

<img alt="Figure 1" class="xfigimg" src="/files/ftp_upload/64836/64836fig01.jpg" /> 
Figure 1: The workflow for transplanting and imaging grafts in an adoptive transfer model of diabetes in mice. NIT-1 cells expressing the firefly transgene luciferase (luc2) are transplanted subcutaneously into NOD-scid mice. The mice are simultaneously injected with autoreactive splenocytes isolated from a spontaneously diabetic NOD m...

<ol>
	<li>Katsarou, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Type+1+diabetes+mellitus.">Type 1 diabetes mellitus.</a> Nature Reviews Disease Primers. 3, 17016 (2017).</li><li>Shapiro, A. M., Pokrywczynska, M., Ricordi, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Clinical+pancreatic+islet+transplantation.">Clinical pancreatic islet transplantation.</a> Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 13 (5), 268-277 (2017).</li><li>Pagliuca, F. W., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Generation+of+functional+human+pancreatic+beta+cells+in+vitro.">Generation of functional human pancreatic beta cells in vitro.</a> Cell. 159 (2), 428-439 (2014).</li><li>Russ, H. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Controlled+induction+of+human+pancreatic+progenitors+produces+functional+beta-like+cells+in+vitro.">Controlled induction of human pancreatic progenitors produces functional beta-like cells in vitro.</a> EMBO Journal. 34 (13), 1759-1772 (2015).</li><li>Rezania, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reversal+of+diabetes+with+insulin-producing+cells+derived+in+vitro+from+human+pluripotent+stem+cells.">Reversal of diabetes with insulin-producing cells derived in vitro from human pluripotent stem cells.</a> Nature Biotechnology. 32 (11), 1121-1133 (2014).</li><li>Vertex Announces Positive Day 90 Data for the First Patient in the Phase 1_2 Clinical Trial Dosed With VX-880, a Novel Investigational Stem Cell-Derived Therapy for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes. Businesswire Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005226/en/Vertex-Announces-Positive-Day-90-Data-for-the-First-Patient-in-the-Phase-12-Clinical-Trial-Dosed-With-VX-880-a-Novel-Investigational-Stem-Cell-Derived-Therapy-for-the-Treatment-of-Type-1-Diabetes">https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005226/en/Vertex-Announces-Positive-Day-90-Data-for-the-First-Patient-in-the-Phase-12-Clinical-Trial-Dosed-With-VX-880-a-Novel-Investigational-Stem-Cell-Derived-Therapy-for-the-Treatment-of-Type-1-Diabetes</a> (2021)</li><li>Gamble, A., Pepper, A. R., Bruni, A., Shapiro, A. M. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+journey+of+islet+cell+transplantation+and+future+development.">The journey of islet cell transplantation and future development.</a> Islets. 10 (2), 80-94 (2018).</li><li>Pearson, J. A., Wong, F. S., Wen, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+importance+of+the+Non+Obese+Diabetic+(NOD)+mouse+model+in+autoimmune+diabetes.">The importance of the Non Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse model in autoimmune diabetes.</a> Journal of Autoimmunity. 66, 76-88 (2016).</li><li>Hamaguchi, K., Gaskins, R. H., Leiter, E. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=NIT-1,+a+pancreatic+&#946;-cell+line+established+from+a+transgenic+NOD/Lt+mouse.">NIT-1, a pancreatic &#946;-cell line established from a transgenic NOD/Lt mouse.</a> Diabetes. 40 (7), 842-849 (1991).</li><li>Christianson, S. W., Shultz, L. D., Leiter, E. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adoptive+transfer+of+diabetes+into+immunodeficient+NOD-scid/scid+mice:+Relative+contribution+of+CD4++and+CD8++T-cells+from+diabetogenic+versus+prediabetic+NOD.NON-Thy1a+donors.">Adoptive transfer of diabetes into immunodeficient NOD-scid/scid mice: Relative contribution of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells from diabetogenic versus prediabetic NOD.NON-Thy1a donors.</a> Diabetes. 42 (1), 44-55 (1993).</li><li>Cai, E. P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Genome-scale+in+vivo+CRISPR+screen+identifies+RNLS+as+a+target+for+beta+cell+protection+in+type+1+diabetes.">Genome-scale in vivo CRISPR screen identifies RNLS as a target for beta cell protection in type 1 diabetes.</a> Nature Metabolism. 2 (9), 934-945 (2020).</li><li>Parent, A. V., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Selective+deletion+of+human+leukocyte+antigens+protects+stem+cell-derived+islets+from+immune+rejection.">Selective deletion of human leukocyte antigens protects stem cell-derived islets from immune rejection.</a> Cell Reports. 36 (7), 109538 (2021).</li><li>Brehm, M. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lack+of+acute+xenogeneic+graft-versus-host+disease,+but+retention+of+T-cell+function+following+engraftment+of+human+peripheral+blood+mononuclear+cells+in+NSG+mice+deficient+in+MHC+class+I+and+II+expression.">Lack of acute xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease, but retention of T-cell function following engraftment of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in NSG mice deficient in MHC class I and II expression.</a> FASEB Journal. 33 (3), 3137-3151 (2019).</li><li>Abdulreda, M. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+imaging+of+type+1+diabetes+immunopathology+using+eye-transplanted+islets+in+NOD+mice.">In vivo imaging of type 1 diabetes immunopathology using eye-transplanted islets in NOD mice.</a> Diabetologia. 62 (7), 1237-1250 (2019).</li></ol>

T1D is a devastating disease for which no cure currently exists. Beta cell replacement therapy offers a promising treatment for patients with this disease, but the critical barrier to this strategy is the potential for recurrent autoimmune attack against the transplanted beta cells. The genetic engineering of SC-beta cells to reduce their immune visibility or susceptibility is one potential solution to this problem. Described here is a protocol for non-invasively imaging transplanted beta cells to measure their survival ...

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The loss of beta cell mass results in insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia. T1D patients rely on multiple daily injections of exogenous insulin and experience episodes of severe hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia throughout their lives. The complications related to these episodes include diabetic retinopathy, decreased kidney function, and neuropathy1.
Insulin injections are a treatment but not a cure for T1D. Replacing the lost beta cell mass, however, has the potential to reverse the disease by enabling patients to produce their own insulin. However, the supply of cadaveric donor islets is limited2. Stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets) may provide a virtually unlimited supply of beta cells for transplant. Several groups have demonstrated that human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be differentiated to generate functional beta-like cells3,4,5. Promising early clinical trial data indicate that these cells maintain their function following transplant and may enable patients to become insulin-independent6. Chronic immunosuppression is required, however, thus increasing their susceptibility to cancer and infection. In addition, immunosuppressive agents may be cytotoxic to grafts in the long term7. To eliminate the need for immunosuppression, SC-islets may be genetically modified to protect them from recurrent autoimmunity as well as alloimmunity after transplant.
Stem cell research is highly demanding in costs and labor. Mouse cell lines and animal models are useful tools for the initial identification and experimental validation of strategies to protect transplanted cells from autoimmunity. The NOD mouse develops spontaneous autoimmune diabetes with many similarities to human T1D8, and the NIT-1 insulinoma cell line shares a genetic background with this mouse strain9. Diabetes can be adoptively transferred to the related immunodeficient NOD-scid mouse strain via the injection of diabetic splenocytes from NOD mice in order to temporally synchronize the onset of diabetes in replicate experimental mice10. This model can be used to identify genetic targets relatively quickly and inexpensively for further validation in SC-islets. Recently, the method was applied to identify and validate RNLS, a target that was found to protect primary human islets from autoimmunity in vivo and iPSC-derived islets from beta cell stress in vitro11. Described here is a straightforward protocol to transplant genetically engineered NIT-1 cells and non-invasively monitor their survival in an adoptive transfer model of autoimmune diabetes in mice.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>0.05% Trypsin, 0.53 mM EDTA</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>25-052-CI</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>293FT</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>R70007</td>
			<td>Fast-growing, highly transfectable clonal isolate derived from human embryonal kidney cells transformed with the SV40 large T antigen</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ACK Lysing Buffer</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>A10492-01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alcohol prep pads, 70% Isopropyl alcohol</td>
			<td>Amazon/Ever Ready First Aid</td>
			<td>B08NWF31DX</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD 5ml Syringe Luer-Lok Tip</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>309646</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD PrecisionGlide Needle 26G x 5/8 (0.45 mm x 16 mm) Sub-Q</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>305115</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD 1 mL TB Syringe Slip Tip</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>309659</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Blasticidin S HCl</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>&#160;30-100-RB</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell strainer premium SureStrain, 70 &#181;m, sterile</td>
			<td>Southern Labware</td>
			<td>C4070</td>
			<td>Or use similar sterile strainer with 40-70um pore size</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CellDrop automated cell counter</td>
			<td>Denovix</td>
			<td>CellDrop BF-PAYG</td>
			<td>Or use similar cell counter device</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Corning 100 mL Penicillin-Streptomycin Solution, 100x</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>30-002-CI</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable Aspirating Pipets, Polystyrene, Sterile, Capacity=2 mL</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>414004-265</td>
			<td>Or use similar aspirating pipette</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>D-Luciferin, Potassium Salt , Molecular Biology Grade, Powder, &#62;99%</td>
			<td>Goldbio</td>
			<td>LUCK-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM, high glucose, pyruvate, no glutamine</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>10313039</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon BD tubes, 50 mL</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>14-959-49A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>10437-028</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Forceps premium for tissues, 1 x 2 teeth 5 in, German Steel</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>13-820-074</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glucose urine test strip</td>
			<td>California Pet Pharmacy</td>
			<td>u-tsg100</td>
			<td>Or use similar test strip for glucose measurments in urine/blood</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GlutaMAX&#8211;1 (100x)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>35050-061</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Infrared heating lamp</td>
			<td>Cole Parmer</td>
			<td>03057-00</td>
			<td>Or use similar infrared lamp&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Insulin syringe 0.5 mL, U-100 29 G 0.5 in</td>
			<td>Becton Dickinson</td>
			<td>309306</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane, USP</td>
			<td>Piramal Critical Care</td>
			<td>6679401725</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>IVIS Spectrum in vivo imaging system</td>
			<td>Perkin Elmer</td>
			<td>124262</td>
			<td>Instrument for non-invasively collecting bioluminescent images of transplanted cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Living Image Analysis Software</td>
			<td>Perkin Elmer</td>
			<td>128113</td>
			<td>Software for collecting and quantifying bioluminescent signal</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microcentrifuge tubes seal-rite, 1.5 mL</td>
			<td>USA Scientific</td>
			<td>1615-5510</td>
			<td>Or use similar sterile microcentrifuge tubes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NIT-1</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>CRL-2055</td>
			<td>Pancreatic beta-celll line derived from NOD/Lt mice</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid/J</td>
			<td>The Jackson Laboratory</td>
			<td>001303</td>
			<td>Mice homozygous for the severe combined immune deficiency spontaneous mutation&#160;Prkdcscid, commonly referred to as&#160;scid, are characterized by an absence of functional T cells and B cells, lymphopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and a normal hematopoietic microenvironment.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NOD/ShiLtJ</td>
			<td>The Jackson Laboratory</td>
			<td>001976</td>
			<td>The NOD/ShiLtJ strain of mice (commonly called NOD) is a polygenic model for autoimmune type 1 diabetes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS, pH 7.4</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>10010031</td>
			<td>No calcium, no magnesium, no phenol red</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pCMV-VSV-G</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>8454</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pLenti-luciferase-blast</td>
			<td>Made in-house</td>
			<td>Plasmid available upon request</td>
			<td>See Supplemental File 1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pMD2.G</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>12259</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pMDLg/pRRE</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>12251</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polyethylenimine, Linear, MW 25,000, Transfection Grade (PEI 25K)</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>NC1014320</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pRSV-Rev</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>12253</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Restrainer for rodents, broome-style round 1 in</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>01-288-32A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Scissors, sharp-pointed</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>08-940</td>
			<td>Or use other scissors made of surgical-grade stainless steel</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue-culture treated culture dishes</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>CLS430167-20EA</td>
			<td>Or use other sterile cell culture-treated Petri dishes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tweezers/Forceps, fine precision medium tipped</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>12-000-157</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

bioluminescent monitoring of graft survival in an adoptive transfer model of autoimmune diabetes in mice

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. A promising treatment for this disease is the transplantation of stem cell-derived beta cells. Genetic modifications, however, may be necessary to protect the transplanted cells from persistent autoimmunity. Diabetic mouse models are a useful tool for the preliminary evaluation of strategies to protect transplanted cells from autoimmune attack. Described here is a minimally invasive method for transplanting and imaging cell grafts in an adoptive transfer model of diabetes in mice. In this protocol, cells from the murine pancreatic beta cell line NIT-1 expressing the firefly luciferase transgene luc2 are transplanted subcutaneously into immunodeficient non-obese diabetic (NOD)-severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice. These mice are simultaneously injected intravenously with splenocytes from spontaneously diabetic NOD mice to transfer autoimmunity. The grafts are imaged at regular intervals via non-invasive bioluminescent imaging to monitor the cell survival. The survival of mutant cells is compared to that of control cells transplanted into the same mouse.

An overview of the protocol is outlined in Figure 1. The survival of two cell lines, such as a mutant and a non-targeting control, may be compared, or the survival of one cell line may be measured in multiple groups of mice, such as drug-treated mice versus vehicle-treated controls. Figure 3A shows three 8-week-old female NOD-scid mice transplanted with a non-targeting control (left) and a mutant (right) cell line. The mice were also injected intravenously with ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Bioluminescent Monitoring of Graft Survival in an Adoptive Transfer Model of Autoimmune Diabetes in Mice at JoVE.com

Bioluminescent Monitoring of Graft Survival in an Adoptive Transfer Model of Autoimmune Diabetes in Mice

This protocol describes a straightforward and minimally invasive method for transplanting and imaging NIT-1 cells in non-obese diabetic (NOD)-severe combined immunodeficient mice challenged with splenocytes purified from spontaneously diabetic NOD mice.

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. A promising treatment for this disease ...

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