Human Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improve Insulin Levels and Reduce Weight Gain in Aging Female Rats

Wining  Astini; Alif Iman  Fitrianto; Adkhilni  Utami; Adisti  Dwijayanti; Frans Dyanagiri  Suyatna; Adi  Winarto; Arief  Boediono

doi:10.18502/ijhoscr.v20i2.21777

Wining Astini Program of Veterinary Paramedic, College of Vocational Studies, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
Alif Iman Fitrianto Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
Adkhilni Utami Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
Adisti Dwijayanti Department of Medical Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Frans Dyanagiri Suyatna Department of Medical Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Adi Winarto Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
Arief Boediono Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijhoscr.v20i2.21777

Keywords: Aging; Female; Insulin; Weight; Stem cell

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to analyze the effect of a single injection of human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ-MSCs) at a dose of 1 × 10⁶ cells/kg on insulin levels and weight gain in physiologically aging female rats.

Materials and Methods: This study used a group of female rats (12 rats) divided into three groups: Group A (three-month-old young female rats with no treatment as control), Group B (24-month-old aging female rats injected with 0.9% NaCl in 0.4 mL as control), and Group C (24-month-old aging female rats injected with hWJ-MSCs at a dose of 1 × 10⁶ cells/kg in 0.4 mL as treatment). The injections were administered four times at three-month intervals. At the end of this experiment (12 months), the rats were anesthetized and sacrificed. Insulin levels were measured using ELISA. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the homing of hWJ-MSCs in pancreatic tissue.

Results: The data showed that rats treated with hWJ-MSCs had lower weight compared with the control group. Insulin hormone levels in treated aging rats were significantly different from those in the aging control group. Immunohistochemical results showed that hWJ-MSCs were widely distributed in the islets of Langerhans of treated aging rats.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that body weight and insulin levels in physiologically aging female rats change with age. Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells injected intravenously four times at a dose of 1 × 10⁶ cells/kg in physiologically aging female rats successfully migrated and homed to the islets of Langerhans, showed a trend toward reduced weight gain, and significantly increased insulin levels.