ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the relation between the expression of liver alpha-amylase and obesity. BACKGROUND: Alpha-amylase catalyses the hydrolysis of 1, 4-alpha-glucosidic linkages in polysaccharides and has three main subtypes, including: salivary, pancreatic, and hepatic. Hepatic alpha-amylase is involved in glycogen metabolism, and has a role in obesity and its management. In this study, we aimed to analyze the expression of liver alpha-amylase in overweight and obese mouse. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, NMRI male mice were randomly divided into two groups. The sample group (obese) took a high-fat and carbohydrate diet, while the control group (normal) took a laboratory pellet chow for eight weeks. During this period, their weight was measured. After eight weeks, liver hepatocytes were isolated using an enzymatic digestion method. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and flow cytometry analysis were performed to measure alpha amylase protein expression in mouse liver hepatocyte cells. RESULTS: A significant difference in the body weight was observed between the two groups (p<0.05). The qualitative protein expression of liver alpha-amylase was found to be higher in the obese group in both tests (immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry). Animals from the test group presented higher alpha-amylase expression, which suggests that this hepatic protein may constitute a potential indicator of susceptibility for fat tissue accumulation and obesity. The present data demonstrates an increased expression of liver amylase in obese mice. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that liver amylase secretion might be useful for predicting susceptibility to obesity induced by consumption of a high-fat and carbohydrate diet.
ABSTRACT
This is the first report on differentiation of mouse amniotic membrane mesenchymal stem cells (AM-MSCs) into male germ cells (GCs). AM-MSCs have the multipotent differentiation capacity and can be differentiated into various cell types. In the present study, AM-MSCs were induced for differentiation into GCs. AM-MSCs were isolated from mouse embryonic membrane by enzymatic digestion. AM-MSCs were characterized with osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation test and flow cytometric analysis of some CD-markers. AM-MSCs were induced to differentiate into GCs using a creative two-step method. Passage-3 AM-MSCs were firstly treated with 25 ng/ml bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) for 5 d and in continuing with 1 µM retinoic acid (RA) for 12 d (total treatment time was 17 d). At the end of the treatment period, real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was performed to evaluate the expression of GC-specific markers-Itgb1, Dazl, Stra8, Piwil2, Mvh, Oct4, and c-Kit- in the cells. Moreover, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining were performed to evaluate the expression of Mvh and Dazl at protein level. Real-time RT-PCR showed that most of the tested markers were upregulated in the treated AM-MSCs. Furthermore, flow cytometric and immunofluorescence analyses both revealed that a considerable part of the treated cells expressed GC-specific markers. The percentage of positive cells for Mvh and Dazl was about 23 and 46%, respectively. Our results indicated that a number of AM-MSCs successfully differentiated into the GCs. Finally, it seems that AM-MSCs would be a potential source of adult pluripotent stem cells for in vitro generation of GCs and cell-based therapies for treatment of infertility.