THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Preterminal clinical conditions in young organ donors may result in increased inflammatory infiltration of the pancreas and increased β-cell replication after prolonged life support, according to a study published in the July issue of Diabetes.

Peter In't Veld, Ph.D., of Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium, and colleagues quantified β-cell replication in 363 human organ donors using double immunohistochemistry for Ki67 and insulin.

The researchers found ≤0.1 percent Ki67-positive β-cells in 72 percent of donors; however, a subpopulation of donors showed markedly increased levels of replication of up to 7 percent Ki67-positive β-cells. An increased level (≥90th percentile) of β-cell replication was significantly associated with prolonged life support, kidney dysfunction, young donor age, inflammatory infiltration, and prolonged brain death before organ retrieval, with prolonged life support, kidney dysfunction, and young donor age being independent predictors. In addition, prolonged life support was associated with increased levels of inflammatory infiltration in the pancreatic parenchyma.

"The results indicate that preterminal clinical conditions in organ donors can activate β-cell replication," the authors write. "Elucidation of the cellular and molecular pathways involved in this process may help researchers devise new strategies for stimulating β-cell growth in vivo."

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)