Abstract :
Background: The most common therapy used in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitu is insulin therapy. Islet transplantation has been associated with remarkable research output for diabetes treatment. One of the largest problems for islet transplantation is the limited supply of donor tissue. Stem cells can differentiate into pancreatic progenitor cells producing insulin both in-vitro and in-vivo, potentially being an unlimited source of islet cells for therapy. Adipose tissue is a source of mesenchymal stem cells that can be obtained by a procedure that is relatively easy, inexpensive, and minimally invasive.
Objective: To analyze the effect of pancreatic progenitor cells from ADMSCs allogeneic transplantation on beta-cell regenerations, C-peptide, and insulin levels in diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetic rats were divided into three groups, P0 was a group of untreated diabetic rats, P1 was a group of diabetic rats that were given intrapancreatic saline solution, and P2 was a group of diabetic rats who were given allogeneic intrapancreatic transplantation of pancreatic progenitor cells with positive Pdx1 expression and insulin derived from ADMSCs. This study was performed for 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose was checked every week and at the end of the study, C-peptide, insulin, and beta-cell regeneration markers (Pdx1, Ngn3, Pax4, Nkx6-1,
and histomorphometry) were examined using Elisa, immunohistochemistry, and Hematoxylin-Eosin staining.
Results: The results also showed transplanting pancreatic progenitor cells from ADMSCs affected beta cell regeneration through the expression of Pdx1, Pax4, and Nkx6-1 (p < 0.05) but did not affect the expression of Ngn3 or the area of Langerhans islands in the examined pancreatic tissue (P > 0.05). There was no graft rejection in the transplanted pancreatic tissue. Also, transplants also affect increasing C-peptide levels and fasting insulin levels (p < 0.05), thereby reducing fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic rats (p < 0.05) given pancreatic progenitor cell transplants from ADMSCs.
Conclusion: Pancreatic progenitor cells allogeneic transplantation from ADMSCs improved blood glucose control in diabetic rats through increasing regeneration of
pancreatic beta cells, C-peptide, and insulin levels.