Fig. 1
Multiple UC-MSC infusions resulted in a subtle improvement in systemic metabolic homeostasis in HFD-fed mice. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed a HFD for 20 weeks to induce obesity. Then, the obese mice were randomly treated with an infusion of 0.2 ml of PBS (referred to as the HFD group) or an infusion of 1 × 106 UC-MSCs suspended in 0.2 ml of PBS once per week for 6 weeks (referred to as the MSC group). Mice fed a normal chow diet were used as controls (referred to as the Nor group). One week after the last infusion of UC-MSCs, the mice were sacrificed. The weight (a) and random blood glucose levels (b) of mice were measured once per week. After the last infusion of UC-MSCs, glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were assessed by an IPGTT (c) and IPITT (d), respectively. e The area under the curve of the IPGTT was calculated. f The area under the curve of the IPITT was calculated. The fasting glucose levels (g) and the fasting insulin levels (h) were detected after the last infusion of UC-MSCs. The HOMA-IR score was calculated (i). Values of a–i are the means ± SDs; n = 6 mice per group; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. UC-MSCs, human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells; HFD, high-fat diets; PBS phosphate-buffered saline; IPGTT, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test; IPITT, intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test