Exosomes Derived from Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells (huMSCs) Carrying MicroRNA-342 Relieve Protect Severe Acute Pancreatitis Injury (SAP)

Abstract

To investigate whether exosomes (exo) derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (huMSCs) and microRNA (miRNA)-342 have a protective effect on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Human umbilical cord blood was collected to extract huMSC-exo. With sham-operated mice as control group (n = 10), the other mice were induced to SAP model (n = 20), while 10 of the SAP mice received treatment with huMSC-exo. ELISA was performed to determine amylase and TAP level as well as inflammatory factors and HE staining to evaluate pathological changes of pancreatic tissue. The expression of miR-342 and Shh, Ptchl, and Smo in the Hh signal pathway was detected using RT-qPCR. The expression of miR-342 and the mRNA expression of Shh, Ptchl, and Smo was higher than that in model group (p < 0.05). The level of serum amylase, trypsinogen, and IFN-γ,Fasl, and IL-6 was upregulated in pancreas tissues of SAP mice relative to healthy mice, but their levels were decreased upon treatment with huMSC-exo and slightly higher than those of the control group, just not significantly. Collectively, the huMSC-exo may activate the Hh signaling pathway by regulating the expression of miR-342 increasing the expression of Shh, Ptchl, and Smo, and thereby healing of damaged pancreatic tissues in SAP.