Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 30, 2025
Prospective, Randomized, and Controlled Study of a Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Injection for Treating Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Published on: March 3, 2023
GLP-1 Gene-Modified Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Line Improves Blood Glucose Level in Type 2 Diabetic
Ying Chang1,2,3, Mingxin Dong2, Yan Wang2
1Medical College, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China.
Abstract:
Type 2 diabetes constitutes a serious threat to the health of patients, but there is currently no ideal treatment in the clinic. Glucagon-like peptide-1 and human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have been confirmed to have antidiabetic effects, but both of them have certain defects in the process of antidiabetes, which cannot meet the need of clinical treatment. We hypothesized that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells can be used as a vector to construct a novel cell line that expresses GLP-1 in vivo for a long time. And this cell strain results in lowering blood glucose in type 2 diabetic mice. The results showed that after 3 weeks of intramuscular injection of the new cell line, the fasting blood glucose of type 2 diabetic mice returned to the normal range, and the hypoglycemic effect was maintained within 3 weeks after putting an end to the drug. At the same time, during the administration, the mice lost weight, the food intake decreased, the half-life of GLP-1 in the body prolonged, the IR reduced, and the pancreatic function recovered. The results of this study indicate that the novel cell line can prolong the half-life of GLP-1 in vivo and effectively lower blood sugar, which is a feasible method to improve type 2 diabetes.
Insights
A novel cell line engineered to express glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) effectively lowered blood glucose in type 2 diabetes mice. This approach offers a promising, long-lasting treatment strategy for managing diabetes by enhancing GLP-1
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Endocrinology
- Cell Therapy
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes poses significant health risks with limited ideal clinical treatments.
- Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and mesenchymal stem cells show antidiabetic potential but have limitations.
- Existing therapies for type 2 diabetes often fall short of clinical needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a novel cell line using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells as vectors.
- To achieve long-term in vivo expression of GLP-1 for sustained therapeutic effects.
- To evaluate the efficacy of this engineered cell line in lowering blood glucose in type 2 diabetic mice.
Main Methods:
- Construction of a novel cell line from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells engineered for GLP-1 expression.
- Intramuscular injection of the engineered cell line into type 2 diabetic mouse models.
- Monitoring of blood glucose levels, body weight, food intake, GLP-1 half-life, insulin resistance (IR), and pancreatic function.
Main Results:
- Fasting blood glucose in treated mice returned to normal levels within 3 weeks.
- The hypoglycemic effect persisted for 3 weeks after cessation of treatment.
- Administration led to weight loss, reduced food intake, prolonged GLP-1 half-life, decreased IR, and improved pancreatic function.
Conclusions:
- The engineered cell line effectively prolongs the in vivo half-life of GLP-1.
- This novel cell therapy demonstrates a feasible and effective method for improving type 2 diabetes.
- The approach offers a promising strategy for sustained blood glucose control in diabetic patients.
