%0 Journal Article
%T Single high-dose intravenous injection of Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cell exerts protective effects in a rat model of metabolic syndrome.
%A Chan AML
%A Ng AMH
%A Yunus MHM
%A Idrus RH
%A Law JX
%A Yazid MD
%A Chin KY
%A Yusof MRM
%A Ng SN
%A Koh B
%A Lokanathan Y
%J Stem Cell Res Ther
%V 15
%N 1
%D 2024 Jun 5
%M 38835014
%F 8.079
%R 10.1186/s13287-024-03769-2
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a significant epidemiological problem worldwide. It is a pre-morbid, chronic and low-grade inflammatory disorder that precedes many chronic diseases. Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) could be used to treat MetS because they express high regenerative capacity, strong immunomodulatory properties and allogeneic biocompatibility. This study aims to investigate WJ-MSCs as a therapy against MetS in a rat model.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Twenty-four animals were fed with high-fat high-fructose (HFHF) diet ad libitum. After 16 weeks, the animals were randomised into treatment groups (n = 8/group) and received a single intravenous administration of vehicle, that is, 3 × 106 cells/kg or 10 × 106 cells/kg of WJ-MSCs. A healthy animal group (n = 6) fed with a normal diet received the same vehicle as the control (CTRL). All animals were periodically assessed (every 4 weeks) for physical measurements, serum biochemistry, glucose tolerance test, cardiovascular function test and whole-body composition. Post-euthanasia, organs were weighed and processed for histopathology. Serum was collected for C-reactive protein and inflammatory cytokine assay.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>The results between HFHF-treated groups and healthy or HFHF-CTRL did not achieve statistical significance (α = 0.05). The effects of WJ-MSCs were masked by the manifestation of different disease subclusters and continuous supplementation of HFHF diet. Based on secondary analysis, WJ-MSCs had major implications in improving cardiopulmonary morbidities. The lungs, liver and heart show significantly better histopathology in the WJ-MSC-treated groups than in the untreated CTRL group. The cells produced a dose-dependent effect (high dose lasted until week 8) in preventing further metabolic decay in MetS animals.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The establishment of safety and therapeutic proof-of-concept encourages further studies by improving the current therapeutic model.