title: Effects of Exendine-4 on The Differentiation of Insulin Producing Cells from Rat Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of Exendine-4 (EX-4), a Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, on the differentiation of insulin-secreting cells (IPCs) from rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(ADMSCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, ADMSCs were isolated from rat adi- pose tissue and exposed to induction media with or without EX-4. After induction, the existence of IPCs was confirmed by morphology analysis, expression pattern analysis of islet-specific genes (Pdx-1, Glut-2 and Insulin) and insulin synthesis and secretion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IPCs induced in presence of EX-4 were morphologically similar to pancre- atic islet-like cells. Expression of Pdx-1, Glut-2 and Insulin genes in EX-4 treated cells was significantly higher than the cells exposed to differentiation media without EX-4. Compared to EX-4 untreated ADMSCs, insulin release from EX-4 treated ADMSCs showed a nearly 2.5 fold (P<0.05) increase when exposed to a high glucose (25 mM) medium. The percentage of insulin positive cells in the EX-4 treated group was ap- proximately 4-fold higher than in the EX-4 untreated ADMSCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study has demonstrated that EX-4 enhances the differen- tiation of ADMSCs into IPCs. Improvement of this method may help the formation of an unlimited source of cells for transplantation.
authors: Cell and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Anatomical Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Layasadat
authors: L
authors: Khorsandi
authors: Cell and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Sadegh
authors: S
authors: Saremy
authors: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Khodadadi
authors: Cell and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors: Fereshteh
authors: F
authors: Dehbashi
keywords: Adipose Tissue; Differentiation; Exendin-4; Insulin-Secreting Cells; Mes- enchymal Stem Cells