BACKGROUND: The immunosuppressive drug rapamycin may influence insulin sensitivity in insulin-responsive tissues. AIMS: This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of rapamycin pre-treatment before pancreatic islet allotransplantation (ITx) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). METHODS: Forty-one T1DM patients were studied. Thirteen patients with poor glycemic control underwent a short-term rapamycin treatment before ITx (Group 1), and they were compared to 28 patients undergoing ITx without rapamycin pre-treatment (Group 2). Outcomes were daily insulin requirement (DIR), fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, C-peptide and the SUITO index of beta-cell function. A subgroup of patients pre-treated with rapamycin before ITx underwent euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp with [6,6-2H2] glucose before and after ITx to evaluate insulin sensitivity. RESULTS: We found a significant reduction in DIR after rapamycin pre-treatment (- 8 ± 6 U/day, mean ± SD, p < 0.001) and 1 year after ITx. DIR reduction 1 year after ITx was greater in Group 1 as compared to Group 2 (- 37 ± 15 vs. - 19 ± 13 U/day, p = 0.005) and remained significant after adjusting for gender, age, glucose and baseline HbA1c (beta = 18.2 ± 5.9, p = 0.006). Fasting glucose and HbA1c significantly decreased 1 year after ITx in Group 1 (HbA1c: - 2.1 ± 1.4%, p = 0.002), while fasting C-peptide (+0.5 ± 0.3 nmol/l, p = 0.002) and SUITO index increased (+57.4 ± 39.7, p = 0.016), without differences between the two groups. Hepatic glucose production decreased after rapamycin pre-treatment (- 1.1 ± 1.1 mg/kg/min, p = 0.04) and after ITx (- 1.6 ± 0.6 mg/kg/min, p = 0.015), while no changes in peripheral glucose disposal were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Rapamycin pre-treatment before ITx succeeds in reducing insulin requirement, enhancing hepatic insulin sensitivity. This treatment may improve short-term ITx outcomes, possibly in selected patients with T1DM complicated by insulin resistance.

Insulin-mimetic effects of short-term rapamycin in type 1 diabetic patients prior to islet transplantation / S. Benedini, F. Ermetici, S. Briganti, R. Codella, I. Terruzzi, P. Maffi, R. Caldara, A. Secchi, R. Nano, L. Piemonti, R. Alejandro, C. Ricordi, L. Luzi. - In: ACTA DIABETOLOGICA. - ISSN 1432-5233. - 55:7(2018), pp. 715-722. [10.1007/s00592-018-1141-z]

Insulin-mimetic effects of short-term rapamycin in type 1 diabetic patients prior to islet transplantation

S. Benedini
Primo
;
F. Ermetici;S. Briganti;R. Codella;I. Terruzzi;A. Secchi;L. Piemonti;L. Luzi
2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The immunosuppressive drug rapamycin may influence insulin sensitivity in insulin-responsive tissues. AIMS: This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of rapamycin pre-treatment before pancreatic islet allotransplantation (ITx) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). METHODS: Forty-one T1DM patients were studied. Thirteen patients with poor glycemic control underwent a short-term rapamycin treatment before ITx (Group 1), and they were compared to 28 patients undergoing ITx without rapamycin pre-treatment (Group 2). Outcomes were daily insulin requirement (DIR), fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, C-peptide and the SUITO index of beta-cell function. A subgroup of patients pre-treated with rapamycin before ITx underwent euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp with [6,6-2H2] glucose before and after ITx to evaluate insulin sensitivity. RESULTS: We found a significant reduction in DIR after rapamycin pre-treatment (- 8 ± 6 U/day, mean ± SD, p < 0.001) and 1 year after ITx. DIR reduction 1 year after ITx was greater in Group 1 as compared to Group 2 (- 37 ± 15 vs. - 19 ± 13 U/day, p = 0.005) and remained significant after adjusting for gender, age, glucose and baseline HbA1c (beta = 18.2 ± 5.9, p = 0.006). Fasting glucose and HbA1c significantly decreased 1 year after ITx in Group 1 (HbA1c: - 2.1 ± 1.4%, p = 0.002), while fasting C-peptide (+0.5 ± 0.3 nmol/l, p = 0.002) and SUITO index increased (+57.4 ± 39.7, p = 0.016), without differences between the two groups. Hepatic glucose production decreased after rapamycin pre-treatment (- 1.1 ± 1.1 mg/kg/min, p = 0.04) and after ITx (- 1.6 ± 0.6 mg/kg/min, p = 0.015), while no changes in peripheral glucose disposal were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Rapamycin pre-treatment before ITx succeeds in reducing insulin requirement, enhancing hepatic insulin sensitivity. This treatment may improve short-term ITx outcomes, possibly in selected patients with T1DM complicated by insulin resistance.
C-peptide; Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp; Insulin sensitivity; Pancreatic islet allotransplantation; mTOR
Settore MED/13 - Endocrinologia
2018
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/570405
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