Fig. 1
HucMDEs improve glucose tolerance and increase insulin sensitivity in T2DM rats. a TEM images of exosomes (scale bar 100 nm). b Particle sizes and concentrations of exosomes were measured by NanoSight analysis. c Western blotting showing characteristics of exosomes using the exosomal markers, CD81 and CD9, and the endoplasmic reticulum marker, calnexin. d IVIS showing the bio-distribution of HucMDEs in T2DM rats (left: PBS-treated control; right: Cy7-labeled HucMDEs) after 24 h of infusion. e Representative IVIS images of organs (heart, lung, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract) from rats (left: PBS-treated control; right: Cy7-labeled HucMDEs) after 24 h of infusion. f HELFs (5 × 106 cells/rat, once every week), HucMSCs (5 × 106 cells/rat, once every week), HDEs (10 mg/kg, once every 3 days), and HucMDEs (10 mg/kg, once every 3 days) in 200 μl of PBS were infused into T2DM rats. Fasting blood glucose was monitored once a week throughout the experiments. g Body weights of the following groups: Control + PBS, T2DM + PBS, T2DM + HDEs, and T2DM + HucMDEs. IPGTT and corresponding areas under the curve (h, i) and IPITT and corresponding areas under the curve (j, k) were performed to assess insulin tolerance and insulin sensitivity at 2 weeks after the last infusion of PBS, HDEs, or HucMDEs. All the results are expressed as the mean ± SD (n = 7 rats per group; *P < 0:05; **P < 0:01; ***P < 0.001)