Gegen Qin Lian Tang combined with human amniotic mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for early diabetic retinopathy / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Human amniotic mesenchymal stem cel s have the potential to differentiate into insulin-secreting cel s and have immunomodulatory effects. Additional y, it has been clinical y proved that Gegen Qin Lian Tang can lower blood sugar. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of Gegen Qin Lian Tang combined with human amniotic mesenchymal stem cel transplantation on rat early diabetic retinopathy, by detecting pathological changes, levels of blood indicators and expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor in retinal tissues. METHODS:By intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, 42 Wistar rat models with diabetes mel itus were prepared and then randomly divided into model group, human amniotic mesenchymal stem cel transplantation group (cel transplantation group) and combination of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cel s and Gegen Qin Lian Tang group (combination group). At 4 weeks after transplantation, levels of blood sugar and serum insulin in diabetic rats were detected;pathological changes of the retina in diabetic rats were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Besides, expressions of CD45 and vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA were detected using immunohistochemistry staining and RT-PCR technology, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the model group, the levels of blood glucose and serum insulin in both cel transplantation and combination groups were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, and these changes were even more significant in the combination group (P<0.05). In the model group, the retinal edema could be found, accompanied by structural disorder and irregular cel arrangement, while these retinal lesions were relatively milder in the cel transplantation group and significantly improved in the combination group. In addition, the CD45 expression and in the retina was highest in the model group subsequently fol owed by the cel transplantation group (P<0.05) and lowest in the combination group (P<0.05). Furthermore, compared with the model group, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA was also significantly lower in the other two groups, especial y in the combination group (P<0.05). These data show that Gegen Qin Lian Tang combined with human amniotic mesenchymal stem cel transplantation improves the severity of diabetic retinopathy by inhibiting expressions of CD45 and vascular endothelial growth factor in the retinal tissues.