Zheng-liang Zhi

Nanomedicine and its potential in diabetes research and practice

Nanomedicine involves measurement and therapy at the level of 1–100 nm. Although the science is still in its infancy, it has major potential applications in diabetes. These include solving needs such as non‐invasive glucose monitoring using implanted nanosensors, with key techniques being fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and fluorescence lifetime sensing, as well as new nano‐encapsulation technologies for sensors such as layer‐by‐layer (LBL) films. The latter might also achieve better insulin delivery in diabetes by both improved islet encapsulation and oral insulin formulations. An ‘artificial nanopancreas’ could be an alternative closed‐loop insulin delivery system. Other applications of nanomedicine include targeted molecular imaging in vivo (e.g. tissue complications) using quantum dots (QDs) or gold nanoparticles, and single‐molecule detection for the study of molecular diversity in diabetes pathology. Copyright

A versatile gold surface approach for fabrication and interrogation of glycoarrays

Glycoarrays on gold: A designer gold surface incorporating a self-assembled monolayer with weak protein absorption properties has been optimised for rapid display and interrogation of both native and derivatised glycans in array formats. This rapid, facile approach has diverse applications in glycomics, through exploitation of fluorescence, SPR and MALDI-ToF MS detection methods.

Fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy and imaging of nano-engineered glucose sensor microcapsules based on glucose/galactose-binding protein

We aimed to develop microsensors for eventual glucose monitoring in diabetes, based on fluorescence lifetime changes in glucose/galactose-binding protein (GBP) labelled with the environmentally sensitive fluorophore dye, badan. A mutant of GBP was labelled with badan near the binding site, the protein adsorbed to microparticles of CaCO(3) as templates and encapsulated in alternating nano-layers of poly-L-lysine and heparin. We used fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) with two-photon excitation and time-correlated single-photon counting to visualize the lifetime changes in the capsules. Addition of glucose increased the mean lifetime of GBP-badan by a maximum of approximately 2 ns. Analysis of fluorescence decay curves was consistent with two GBP states, a short-lifetime component (approximately 0.8 ns), likely representing the open form of the protein with no bound glucose, and a long-lifetime component (approximately 3.1 ns) representing the closed form with bound glucose and where the lobes of GBP have closed round the dye creating a more hydrophobic environment. FLIM demonstrated that increasing glucose increased the fractional proportion of the long-lifetime component. We conclude that fluorescence lifetime-based glucose sensing using GBP encapsulated with nano-engineered layer-by-layer films is a glucose monitoring technology suitable for development in diabetes management.

Polysaccharide Multilayer Nanoencapsulation of Insulin-Producing beta-Cells Grown as Pseudoislets for Potential Cellular Delivery of Insulin

This paper describes the use of a layer-by-layer nanocoating technique for the encapsulation of insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cell spheroids (pseudoislets) within chitosan/alginate multilayers. We used pseudoislets self-organized from a population of the insulinoma cell line MIN6, derived from a transgenic mouse expressing the large T-antigen of SV40 in pancreatic beta-cells, as an experimental model for the study of cell nanoencapsulation. The maintenance of spheroid morphology and retention of cell viability and metabolic functionality was demonstrated postencapsulation. By depositing an additional protein-repelling phosphorylcholine-modified chondroitin-4-sulfate layer, the coatings were found to shield effectively access of large molecules of the immune systems to the antigen-presenting cell surfaces. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of the encapsulated pseudoislets revealed that the coating did not damage the cell structure. In addition, nanoencapsulation permits the cells to respond to changes in extracellular glucose and other insulin secretagogues by releasing insulin with a profile similar to that of nonencapsulated cells. These results suggest that this nanofilm encapsulation technique has the characteristics required for the efficient transplantation of cellular engineered beta-cells as a cell replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes. This encapsulation method is general in scope and has implications for use in a variety of cellular therapeutics employing engineered tissues from cells generated in vitro from various sources, including those using genetic and cellular engineering techniques.

Improving cellular function and immune protection via layer-by-layer nanocoating of pancreatic islet β-cell spheroids cocultured with mesenchymal stem cells†

Islet transplantation as a therapy for type 1 diabetes is currently limited by lack of primary transplant material from human donors and post-transplantation loss of islets caused by adverse immune and nonimmune reactions. This study aimed to develop a novel strategy to create microenvironment for islets via integration of nanoencapsulation with cell cocultures, thereby enhancing their survival and function. The nanoencapsulation was achieved via layer-by-layer deposition of phosphorycholine-modified poly-L-lysine/heparin leading to the formation of nanometer-thick multilayer coating on islets. Spheroids formed by coculturing MIN6 β-cells with mesenchymal stem cells in suspension were used as the tool for testing encapsulation. Coculturing MSCs with MIN6 cells allowed the cell constructs to enhance structural and morphologic stability with improved insulin secretory function and render them less susceptible to inflammatory cytokine-induced apoptosis. Combining nanoencapsulation with coculture of MSCs/MIN6 resulted in higher glucose responsiveness, and lower antibody binding and apoptosis-inducing effects of cytokines. This strategy of nanoencapsulating islet cocultures appears promising to improve cellular delivery of insulin for treating type 1 diabetes.

Nanolayer encapsulation of insulin-chitosan complexes improves efficiency of oral insulin delivery

Current oral insulin formulations reported in the literature are often associated with an unpredictable burst release of insulin in the intestine, which may increase the risk for problematic hypoglycemia. The aim of the study was to develop a solution based on a nanolayer encapsulation of insulin-chitosan complexes to afford sustained release after oral administration. Chitosan/heparin multilayer coatings were deposited onto insulin-chitosan microparticulate cores in the presence of poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) in the precipitating and coating solutions. The addition of PEG improved insulin loading and minimized an undesirable loss of the protein resulting from redissolution. Nanolayer encapsulation and the formation of complexes enabled a superior loading capacity of insulin (>90%), as well as enhanced stability and 74% decreased solubility at acid pH in vitro, compared with nonencapsulated insulin. The capsulated insulin administered by oral gavage lowered fasting blood glucose levels by up to 50% in a sustained and dose-dependent manner and reduced postprandial glycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice without causing hypoglycemia. Nanolayer encapsulation reduced the possibility of rapid and erratic falls of blood glucose levels in animals. This technique represents a promising strategy to promote the intestinal absorption efficiency and release behavior of the hormone, potentially enabling an efficient and safe route for oral insulin delivery of insulin in diabetes management.

Pseudoislets as primary islet replacements for research : report on a symposium at King's College London, London UK

Laboratory-based research aimed at understanding processes regulating insulin secretion and mechanisms underlying β-cell dysfunction and loss in diabetes often makes use of rodents, as these processes are in many respects similar between rats/mice and humans. Indeed, a rough calculation suggests that islets have been isolated from as many as 150,000 rodents to generate the data contained within papers published in 2009 and the first four months of 2010. Rodent use for islet isolation has been mitigated, to a certain extent, by the availability of a variety of insulin-secreting cell lines that are used by researchers world-wide. However, when maintained as monolayers the cell lines do not replicate the robust, sustained secretory responses of primary islets which limits their usefulness as islet surrogates. On the other hand, there have been several reports that configuration of MIN6 β-cells, derived from a mouse insulinoma, as three-dimensional cell clusters termed ‘pseudoislets’ largely recapitulates the function of primary islet β-cells. The Diabetes Research Group at King’s College London has been using the MIN6 pseudoislet model for over a decade and they hosted a symposium on “Pseudoislets as primary islet replacements for research”, which was funded by the UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), in London on 15th and 16th April 2010. This small, focused meeting was conceived as an opportunity to consolidate information on experiences of working with pseudoislets between different UK labs, and to introduce the theory and practice of pseudoislet culture to laboratories working with islets and/or β-cell lines but who do not currently use pseudoislets. This short review summarizes the background to the development of the cell line-derived pseudoislet model, the key messages arising from the symposium and emerging themes for future pseudoislet research.

Fluorescence Intensity- and Lifetime-Based Glucose Sensing Using Glucose/Galactose-Binding Protein

We review progress in our laboratories toward developing in vivo glucose sensors for diabetes that are based on fluorescence labeling of glucose/galactose-binding protein. Measurement strategies have included both monitoring glucose-induced changes in fluorescence resonance energy transfer and labeling with the environmentally sensitive fluorophore, badan. Measuring fluorescence lifetime rather than intensity has particular potential advantages for in vivo sensing. A prototype fiber-optic-based glucose sensor using this technology is being tested.

Saccharide Microarrays for High-Throughput Interrogation of Glycan-Protein Binding Interactions

This chapter describes two methods for fabricating microarrays of saccharides for display and interrogation with binding proteins, using fluorescence detection. The first approach is based on the rapid immobilization of heparan sulphate glycans upon commercially available aminosilane slides via their reducing ends. The second approach is based on the use of a hydrazide-derivatized self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold-coated slide surface. Both provide for efficient and chemoselective attachment and anchoring of oligosaccharide probes via their reducing ends, enabling the large-scale arraying of natural saccharides without cumbersome pre-derivatization. The latter platform, in particular, also has the potential for use with other biophysical readout methods including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance, and quartz crystal microbalances. These microarray platforms provide a facile approach for interrogating multiple carbohydrate-protein interactions in a high-throughput manner using minimal quantities of reagents. They provide an essential new experimental strategy in the growing armoury of the glycomics toolkit.

Multilayered nanocoatings incorporating superparamagnetic nanoparticles for tracking of pancreatic islet transplants with magnetic resonance imaging

A novel strategy for delivering functionalised superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles to the outer surface of pancreatic islet grafts, using chemically modified polymeric nanolayers, has been developed for tracking of engrafted pancreatic islets by magnetic resonance imaging.