Jia Song1, Qin He1, Xinghong Guo1, Lingshu Wang1, Jinbang Wang1, Chen Cui1, Huiqing Hu1, Mengmeng Yang1, Yixin Cui1, Nan Zang1, Fei Yan1, Fuqiang Liu1, Yujing Sun1, Kai Liang1, Jun Qin1, Ruxing Zhao1, Chuan Wang1, Zheng Sun1, Xinguo Hou2, Wenjuan Li3, Li Chen4. 1. Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China. 2. Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shandong Province Medicine & Health, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Jinan Clinical Research Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Disease, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China. 3. Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shandong Province Medicine & Health, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Jinan Clinical Research Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Disease, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China. Electronic address: liwenjuan@qiluhospital.com. 4. Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shandong Province Medicine & Health, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China; Jinan Clinical Research Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Disease, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China. Electronic address: chenli3@email.sdu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: α-cell dysregulation gives rise to fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Administration of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or their conditioned medium can improve islet function and enhance insulin secretion. However, studies showing the direct effect of MSCs on islet α-cell dysfunction are limited. METHODS: In this study, we used high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mice and α-cell line exposure to palmitate (PA) to determine the effects of bone marrow-derived MSC-conditioned medium (bmMSC-CM) on glucagon secretion. Plasma and supernatant glucagon were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). To investigate the potential signaling pathways, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), AKT and phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT) were assessed by Western blotting. RESULTS: In vivo, bmMSC-CM infusion improved the glucose and insulin tolerance and protected against HFD-induced hyperglycemia and hyperglucagonemia. Meanwhile, bmMSC-CM infusion ameliorated HFD-induced islet hypertrophy and decreased α- and β-cell area. Consistently, in vitro, glucagon secretion from α-cells or primary islets was inhibited by bmMSC-CM, accompanied by reduction of intracellular PTEN expression and restoration of AKT signaling. Previous studies and the TargetScan database indicate that miR-181a and its target PTEN play vital roles in ameliorating α-cell dysfunction. We observed that miR-181a-5p was highly expressed in BM-MSCs but prominently lower in αTC1-6 cells. Overexpression or downregulation of miR-181a-5p respectively alleviated or aggravated glucagon secretion in αTC1-6 cells via the PTEN/AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that MSC-derived miR-181a-5p mitigates glucagon secretion of α-cells by regulating PTEN/AKT signaling, which provides novel evidence demonstrating the potential for MSCs in treating T2DM.
BACKGROUND: α-cell dysregulation gives rise to fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Administration of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or their conditioned medium can improve islet function and enhance insulin secretion. However, studies showing the direct effect of MSCs on islet α-cell dysfunction are limited. METHODS: In this study, we used high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mice and α-cell line exposure to palmitate (PA) to determine the effects of bone marrow-derived MSC-conditioned medium (bmMSC-CM) on glucagon secretion. Plasma and supernatant glucagon were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). To investigate the potential signaling pathways, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), AKT and phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT) were assessed by Western blotting. RESULTS: In vivo, bmMSC-CM infusion improved the glucose and insulin tolerance and protected against HFD-induced hyperglycemia and hyperglucagonemia. Meanwhile, bmMSC-CM infusion ameliorated HFD-induced islet hypertrophy and decreased α- and β-cell area. Consistently, in vitro, glucagon secretion from α-cells or primary islets was inhibited by bmMSC-CM, accompanied by reduction of intracellular PTEN expression and restoration of AKT signaling. Previous studies and the TargetScan database indicate that miR-181a and its target PTEN play vital roles in ameliorating α-cell dysfunction. We observed that miR-181a-5p was highly expressed in BM-MSCs but prominently lower in αTC1-6 cells. Overexpression or downregulation of miR-181a-5p respectively alleviated or aggravated glucagon secretion in αTC1-6 cells via the PTEN/AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that MSC-derived miR-181a-5p mitigates glucagon secretion of α-cells by regulating PTEN/AKT signaling, which provides novel evidence demonstrating the potential for MSCs in treating T2DM.