ObjectiveTo observe the effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) on blood glucose levels and diabetic retinopathy in diabetes mellitus (DM) rats. MethodA total of 45 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group (group A, 10 rats) and DM group (33 rats). Diabetic model was established in DM group by tail vein injection of streptozotocin.The DM group was further randomly divided into 3 groups (11 rats in each group), including group B (no transplantation), group C (hUCMSC was injected through tail vein) and group D (hUCMSC was injected into the vitreous). Blood glucose, retina wholemont staining and expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the retina were measured at 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks after hUCMSC injection. The blood glucose was significantly different between A-D groups before injection (t=-64.400, -60.601, -44.065, -43.872; P=0.000) BDNF expression was studied by real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry staining. ResultsThe blood glucose was significantly different between A-D groups after hUCMSC injection (F=400.017, 404.410, 422.043, 344.109; P=0.000), and between group C and group B/D (t=4.447, 4.990; P < 0.01). Immuno-staining shown that BDNF was positive in ganglion cell layer (RGC) of group A, weak in group B while BDNF expression increased in group C/D. BDNF mRNA expression was significantly different between group B, C and D at 4, 6 and 8 weeks after hUCMSC injection (F=29.372, 188.492, 421.537; P=0.000), and between group B and C/D (t=66.781, 72.401, 63.880, 88.423, 75.120, 83.002; P < 0.01) by RT-PCR analysis. The BDNF mRNA expression was significantly different between C and D groups only at 8 weeks after hUCMSC injection (t=127.321, P=0.005). ConclusionsTail vein injection of hUCMSCs can significantly reduce the blood glucose levels of rats. Intravenous and intravitreal injection of hUCMSCs can increase the expression of BDNF.
Objective To observe the inhibition effect of the hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha; (HIF-1alpha;) specific siRNA on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA in retinal tissues in diabetic rat. Methods This is a randomized controlled study. HIF-1alpha; specific siRNA recombinant plasmid was built in pSilencer2.1-U6neo vector. Fifty-four healthy Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into control group (15 rats) and experimental group (39 rats). The experimental rats were induced with streptozotocin injection for diabetic retinopathy model, and then randomly divided into diabetic retinopathy (DR) group (15 rats), vector group (12 rats) and gene therapy group (12 rats). LipofectamineTM2000 mixed with pSilencer2.1-U6neo plasmid or HiF-1alpha; siRNA plasmid were injected into the vitreous in the vector group and gene therapy group respectively. Nothing was transfected into DR and control group. The expression of VEGF mRNA in retinas was measured by real-time RT-PCR. The inhibition efficiency of VEGFmRNA was calculated at 24, 48, 72 hours and 1 week after injection respectively. Significant differences between groups were evaluated by oneway analysis and LSD-t analysis. Results HIF-1alpha; siRNA recombinant plasmid was confirmed by enzyme digestion and sequence analysis. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that the expression of VEGFmRNA was faint in the control group, increased obviously in the DR and vector group, decreased in the gene therapy group. There was no statistically significant between DR and vector group (t=0.669，0.142,0.151，0.025；P=0.514，0.889，0.882，0.980). The expression of VEGFmRNA in the gene therapy group were obviously decreased compared with DR and vector group (t=8.768, 13.695, 11.285, 8.253;P=0.000). The inhibition efficiency of VEGFmRNA was 32.76%, 43.60%, 47.70%, 50.86% at 24, 48, 72 hours and 1 week after injection. Conclusions The expression of VEGFmRNA can be efficiently inhibited by HIF-1alpha; siRNA recombinant plasmid.
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of exosomes derived from human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSC) on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A in blue light injured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. MethodshUCMSC were cultured with exo-free fetal bovine serum for 48 hours, and then the supernatants were collected to isolate and purify exosomes by gradient ultracentrifugation method. Transmission electron microscopy was used to identify the morphology of exosomes. Surface specific maker protein CD63 and CD90 were detected via Western blot. Cultured ARPE-19 cells were divided into normal control group, blue light injured group and hUCMSC exosomes treated group. Cells were exposed to the blue light at the intensity of (2000±500) Lux for 12 hours to establish the light injured models. The cells of hUCMSC exosomes treated group were treated by different concentrations of exosomes for 8, 16, 24 hours. The mRNA and protein of VEGF-A were determined by real time-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Immunofluorescence assay were used to detect the expression levels of VEGF-A. ResultshUCMSC exosomes were successfully isolated, they exhibited round or oval shape and their diameter ranged from 50 to 100 nm with membrane structure through electron microscope. hUCMSC exosomes expressed the common surface marker protein CD63 and the surface marker protein CD90 of hUCMSC. The protein and mRNA level of VEGF A in the blue light injured group increased significantly compared to that in normal control group (t=-16.553, -19.456; P < 0.05). After treating with low, middle and high concentration of hUCMSC exosomes for 8, 16 and 24 hours, the protein and mRNA level of VEGF A of injured RPE were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). With the treated time and concentration of hUCMSC exosomes improved, the protein and mRNA level of VEGF A of injured RPE gradually decreased (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence assay showed the protein level of VEGF-A of injured RPE gradually decreased with the same concentration of hUCMSC exosomes treated over time. ConclusionhUCMSC exosomes can effectively down-regulate the mRNA and protein level of VEGF-A in blue light injured RPE, the effect depends on the concentration and treated time of hUCMSC exosomes.