Int J Stem Cells.  2017 May;10(1):76-82. 10.15283/ijsc16040.

Induction of Nestin Early Expression as a Hallmark for Mesenchymal Stem Cells Expression of PDX-1 as a Pre-disposing Factor for Their Conversion into Insulin Producing Cells

• Martinez-Gamboa M
• Cruz-Vega
• Moreno-Cuevas J
• Gonzalez-Garza MT

• KMID: 2384604
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15283/ijsc16040

Abstract

Diabetes constitutes a worldwide epidemic that affects all ethnic groups. Cell therapy is one of the best alternatives of treatment, by providing an effective way to regenerate insulin-producing cells lost during the course of the disease, but many issues remain to be solved. Several groups have been working in the development of a protocol capable of differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) into physiologically sound Insulin Producing Cells (IPCs). In order to obtain a simple, fast and direct method, we propose in this manuscript the induction of MSCs to express NESTIN in a short time period (2 h), proceeded by incubation in a low glucose induced medium (24 h) and lastly by incubation in a high glucose medium. Samples from cell cultures incubated in high glucose medium from 12 to 168 h were obtained to detect the expression of INSULIN-1, INSULIN -2, PDX-1 and GLUT-2 genes. Induced cells were exposed to a glucose challenge, in order to assess the production of insulin. This method allowed us to obtain cells expressing PDX-1, which resembles a progenitor insulin-producing cell.

Keyword

Mesenchymal stem cells; PDX-1; Insulin producing cells; Nestin

MeSH Terms

Cell Culture Techniques
Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy
Ethnic Groups
Glucose
Humans
Insulin*
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells*
Methods
Nestin*
Glucose
Insulin