RT-qPCR results of corresponding primary cultured islets demonstrated that bmMDEs upregulated the expression levels of Pdx1 and Foxo1 and decreased expression levels of Ngn3 and Oct4, while the effects of bmMDEs were abolished by miR-146a knockdown in T2DM rats (Fig. 6h–k). This evidence concerns the gene PDX1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.