title: Expression of stem cell markers CK-19 and PDX-1 mRNA in pancreatic islet samples of different purity from rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Islet stem cells are more or less retained in the procedure of islet isolation and purification, and are transplanted together with islet grafts. Keratoprotein (CK-19) and pancreatic duodenal hox gene 1 (PDX-1) are markers of stem cells. This study was undertaken to examine the expression of these markers in pancreatic islet samples of different purity from rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups to undergo perfusion with V-type collagenase via the pancreatic duct, then the pancreas was excised, diced, shaken, digested and centrifuged to obtain islet sediments. The sediment from group A was not purified, while that from group B was purified with 25% Ficoll-400 and that from group C with 25% and 11% Ficoll-400. RNA was extracted from the different islet samples for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of the pancreatic stem cell markers CK-19 and PDX-1 was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The purity of islets in samples was (43.6+/-6.29)% in group A; (65.3+/-4.40)% in group B; and (77.6+/-6.36)% in group C (P<0.05). The expression of CK-19 and PDX-1 mRNA was significantly higher in group A than in groups B and C, but group C showed the lowest level of expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of CK-19 and PDX-1 mRNA in islet samples of different purity suggests the presence of stem cells in all islet samples.
authors: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Mianyang Third People's Hospital, Mianyang 621000, China.
authors: Chuang
authors: C
authors: Yang
authors: Ji-Ming
authors: JM
authors: Wang
authors: Cheng-You
authors: CY
authors: Du
authors: Dong
authors: D
authors: Xue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D053539:Keratin-19; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; C084010:pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 protein