• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.247-265
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• 2008

Objectives: Many types of liver diseases can damage regenerative potential of mature hepatocytes, hepatic progenitor cells or oval cells. In such cases, a stem cell-based therapy can be an alternative therapeutic option. We examined whether human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HAM) and human umbilical cord-derived stem cells (HUC) could differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells as therapeutic cells for the liver diseases. Methods: HAM and HUC were isolated from the amnion and umbilical cord of the volunteers after a caesarean section with informed consent. In order to differentiate these cells into hepatocyte-like cells, cells were cultivated in hepatogenic medium using culture plates coated with fibronectin. Effects of hepatocyte growth factor, L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, insulin premixture fibroblast growth gactor 4, dimethylsulfoxide, oncostatin M and/or dexamethasone were examined on the hepatic differentiation. After differentiation, the cells were analyzed by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, immunoblotting, albumin ELISA, urea assay and periodic acid-schiffs staining. Results: Initial fibroblast-like appearance of HAM and HUC changed to a round shape during culture in the hepatogenic medium. However, in all hepatogenic conditions examined, HUC secreted more amounts of albumin or urea into medium than HAM. Expression of some of hepatocyte-specific genes increased and expression of new genes were observed in HUC following cultivation in hepatogenic medium. Results of immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting analyses demonstrated that HUC secreted albumin into the culture medium. PAS staining further demonstrated that HUC could store glycogen inside of the cells. Conclusions: Both HUC and HAM could differentiate into albumin-secreting, hepatocyte-like cells. Under the same hepatogenic conditions examined, HUC more efficiently differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells compared with the HAM. The results suggest that HUC and HAM could be used as sources of stem cells for the cell-based therapeutics such as in liver diseases.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.433-443
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• 2006

The effects of Allium vegetables on blood glucose levels and lipid metabolism in streptozotocin (S12) induced diabetic rats were investigated. Diabetes mellitus was induced by S1'2 injection (45 mg/kg 5.w.) into the tail vein. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $220\;{\pm}\;10\;g$ were randomly assigned to 7 groups: normal, S1'2-control and five Allium groups (Allium cepa, Allium fistulosum, Allium sativum, Allium tuberosum and Allium victorialisL Normal and S12control groups were fed an AIN-93 diet and five Allium groups were fed a modified diet containing. 10% Allium powder each for 4 weeks. Body weight, diet intake, food efficiency ratio (FER) and organ weights- were monitored. Activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) & alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were observed: Plasma lev~ls of glucose, free fatty acid, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol were analyzed. Levels of glycogen, cholesterol and triglyceride in liver were determined. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver, lung, kidney, and pancreas were assayed. The hepatic contents of chromium (Cr) , iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mu) were measured. The Allium sativum group had weight gain and suppressed a hypertrophy of the kidney significantly. The activity of ALT was significantly lowered in the diabetic groups except Allium sativum group compared to STZ-control group. The Allium sativum and Allium tuberosum groups showed the hypoglycemic effects at 4 weeks. There were no significant differences between the control and all the other diabetic groups in the plasma levels of cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids. Most of the Allium groups except Allium fistulosum were observed significantly lowered level of MDA in the lung compared to STZ-control group. The diabetic rats fed the Allium cepa and Allium sativum have shown significantly lowered hepatic Zn contents. The results suggested that the intake of the Allium vegetables may be effective in the antihyperglycemia by lowering blood glucose levels.