Identifying genetic predictors of transplanted pancreas function
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Determining genetic factors that can predict the loss of transplanted pancreas function
IRAS ID
82584
Contact name
Matthew Simmonds
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
INTRODUCTION: Insulin is an essential hormone, with many roles, including regulation of glucose metabolism. Insulin is produced by the beta cells located within the pancreas. In type 1 diabetes (T1D), beta cells are destroyed by the immune system preventing natural insulin production. Injecting insulin is the main treatment for T1D. In some patients injecting insulin does not control their diabetes and they can develop severe diabetes-related complications including eye, kidney and nerve disease. In these patients, pancreas or beta-cell transplantation is the only treatment that can restore the patient’s own ability to produce insulin and improve or stabilise diabetes-related complications. One year after transplant surgery, 85% of patients have a functioning pancreas (endogenous insulin production). However, transplanted pancreas function can decrease over time, with only 68% of patients having a functioning pancreas five years post transplant. Loss of pancreas graft function and return to injecting insulin is a major cause of transplant patient morbidity and mortality. Currently there are no early predictors of when pancreas graft function starts to fail.
AIMS & METHODS: The overarching aim of this work is to obtain anonymised DNA from pancreas transplant donors and recipients from UK centres carrying out pancreas transplantation. This will enable us to perform a laboratory-based project to investigate genetic factors which may predict graft outcome. The genetic findings will be combined with features known to affect transplanted organ survival, including weight and age. Statistical methods will then be used to determine if specific combinations of genetic variants and clinical features can predict when the transplanted pancreas is likely to fail. This work will be funded by Diabetes charities.
OUTCOMES: This study will identify patients in which the transplanted pancreas is likely to stop functioning and enable us to monitor these patients and provide therapeutics to extend the transplanted organs lifespan.
REC name
South Central - Oxford A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
12/SC/0655
Date of REC Opinion
12 Dec 2012
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion