Functional Properties of Vascular Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Study on Experimental Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with the development of macroangiopathy and accelerated atherosclerosis, major causes of morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the biological properties of arterial and venous vascular mesenchymal stem cells (vMSCs) in rats with streptozotocin-induced DM. After eight weeks, the diabetic animals exhibited hyperglycemia, weight loss, and increased collagen deposition in the aorta, indicating macroangiopathy. Although the number of vMSCs, their proliferation, and the expression of cellular markers remained unchanged, arterial vMSCs exhibited a significant reduction in osteogenic, adipogenic, and endothelial differentiation capacity. Insulin treatment prevented both the metabolic changes and the functional impairment of these cells. The results demonstrate that chronic DM selectively affects the differentiation potential of arterial vMSCs, suggesting that these changes may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic macroangiopathy and represent a potential target for future therapeutic strategies.