Transplanted embryonic stem cells inhibit cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy in type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Cell therapy is a novel potential approach to treat many diseases including diabetes. Embryonic stem cells have been examined in various diabetic and non-diabetic heart studies. However, the role of pancreas transcription factor 1 alpha (ptfla) over expressing embryonic stem (ES) cells has not been defined. We hypothesize that transplanted over expressing ptfla-ES cells in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice will attenuate cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and improve cardiac function. In this investigation we divided C57/bl6 mice into three groups: Control, STZ, and STZ + ptflaES cells. Diabetes was induced with STZ (lO0mg/kg, body weight), with two separate injections on day 1 (D1) and D2. Following STZ injections, mice were transplanted with 1.2 million ptfla-ES cells in three days. Control group received normal saline. After injections, animals were examined for glucose levels, cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and heart function. Our data shows that glucose levels were significantly increased following STZ injections, suggesting diabetes, and this increase was reversed with transplanted ptfl a-ES cell. Our H&E qualitative data suggest that there was increase in cardiac hypertrophy in STZ-induced diabetic animals compared with control. Moreover, Massan's trichrome staining shows increased amount of cardiac fibrosis in STZ-induced diabetic animals compared with control. This data suggests that animals have developed diabetic cardiomyopathy. Interestingly, the increased cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis was attenuated in the animals transplanted with ptfl a-ES cells. Furthermore, cardiac function examined by echocardiography was reduced in the STZ treated animals which was reversed following ptfla-ES cell treatment. In conclusion, our data suggests that

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2009

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Duranceau, Steven J.

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences

Degree Program

Molecular Biology and Microbiology

Subjects

Biomedical Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic;Dissertations, Academic -- Biomedical Sciences

Format

Print

Identifier

DP0022421

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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