The effect of epitope-based ligation of ICAM-1 on survival and retransplantation of pig islets in nonhuman primates.

Long-term survival of pig islet xenografts and successful retransplantation were achieved with MD-3 mAb-based immunosuppression regimen in this pig-to-monkey transplantation model. It should be emphasized that these encouraging results were achieved following the transplantation of islets from pigs that had not been genetically modified. Considering that it is possible to further substantially reduce the destruction of grafted islet using genetically modified pig islet, the islet requirement could be reduced and much longer graft survival can be achieved.