Fig. 6From: Enhancing insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes mellitus using apelin-loaded small extracellular vesicles from Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells: a novel therapeutic approachAnalysis of adipose tissue in T2DM model mice treated with MSC-sEVs and AP-MSC-sEVs. (a–b) SDS-PAGE results showing the effects of sEV treatments on AMPK and Akt phosphorylation. MSC-sEV and AP-MSC-sEV treatments enhanced AMPK phosphorylation and the p-Akt/Akt ratio, indicating improved insulin sensitivity (P < 0.05); more pronounced phosphorylation effect was observed with AP-MSC-sEVs. GLUT4 protein expression also significantly increased following sEV treatments (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001). Abbreviations: sEVs, small extracellular vesicles; AP-MSC-sEVs, apelin-MSC-sEVs, engineered sEVs loaded with overexpressed apelin; Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs)Back to article page