Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the first choice for regulating the proliferation and directional differentiation, with multiple biological effects.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of hTERT-transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transplantation in diabetic rats.
METHODS: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured in vitro and transfected with retrovirus PLXSN carrying hTERT. RT-PCR was used to detect the hTERT expression in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells before and after transfection. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and equally randomized into four groups: normal control group, transfection group, cell transplantation group, and model group. In the latter three groups, rats were injected with 45 mg/kg chain urea to establish diabetes models, and then injected via the tail vein with 0.2 mL hTERT-transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, 0.2 mL bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and 0.2 mL normal saline, respectively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 48 hours after hTERT transfection, the expression of hTERT mRNA was detected in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and mainly concentrated in the nuclei. At 14 days after transfection, the fasting glucose level in the model group was higher than that in the normal control group
(P < 0.05). However, compared with the model group, the fasting glucose levels in the transfection and cell 
transplantation groups were significantly decreased (P < 0.05); compared with the cell transplantation group, the fasting glucose level in the transfection group was also significantly decreased (P < 0.05), which was similar to that in the normal control group (P > 0.05). These findings indicate that the transplantation of hTERT-transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells is effective in the treatment of diabetic rats.

Key words: Bone Marrow, Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation, Diabetes Mellitus