CKD (chronic kidney disease) has become a public health problem. The therapeutic approaches have been able to reduce proteinuria, but have not been successful in limiting disease progression. In this setting, cell therapies associated with regenerative effects are attracting increasing interest. We evaluated the effect of MSC (mesenchymal stem cells) on the progression of CKD and the expression of molecular biomarkers associated with regenerative effects. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats subjected to 5/6 NPX (nephrectomy) received a single intravenous infusion of 0.5×106 MSC or culture medium. A sham group subjected to the same injection was used as the control. Rats were killed 5 weeks after MSC infusion. Dye tracking of MSC was followed by immunofluorescence analysis. Kidney function was evaluated using plasma creatinine. Structural damage was evaluated by H&E (haematoxylin and eosin) staining, ED-1 abundance (macrophages) and interstitial α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin). Repairing processes were evaluated by functional and structural analyses and angiogenic/epitheliogenic protein expression. MSC could be detected in kidney tissues from NPX animals treated with intravenous cell infusion. This group presented a marked reduction in plasma creatinine levels and damage markers ED-1 and α-SMA (P<0.05). In addition, treated rats exhibited a significant induction in epitheliogenic [Pax-2, bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) and BMP-7 (bone morphogenetic protein-7)] and angiogenic [VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and Tie-2] proteins. The expression of these biomarkers of regeneration was significantly related to the increase in renal function. Many aspects of the cell therapy in CKD remain to be investigated in more detail: for example, its safety, low cost and the possible need for repeated cell injections over time. Beyond the undeniable importance of these issues, what still needs to be clarified is whether MSC administration has a real effect on the treatment of this pathology. It is precisely to this point that the present study aims to contribute.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
August 09 2011
Mesenchymal stem cell injection ameliorates chronic renal failure in a rat model
Sandra Villanueva;
*Laboratory of Integrative and Molecular Physiology, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Correspondence: Dr Sandra Villanueva (email [email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
Ernesto Ewertz;
Ernesto Ewertz
*Laboratory of Integrative and Molecular Physiology, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Flavio Carrión;
Flavio Carrión
†Immunology and Cell Therapy Laboratory, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Andrés Tapia;
Andrés Tapia
*Laboratory of Integrative and Molecular Physiology, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
César Vergara;
César Vergara
*Laboratory of Integrative and Molecular Physiology, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Carlos Céspedes;
Carlos Céspedes
‡Department of Physiology, Center for Aging and Regeneration, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Pablo J. Sáez;
Pablo J. Sáez
‡Department of Physiology, Center for Aging and Regeneration, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Patricia Luz;
Patricia Luz
†Immunology and Cell Therapy Laboratory, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Carlos Irarrázabal;
Carlos Irarrázabal
*Laboratory of Integrative and Molecular Physiology, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Juan E. Carreño;
Juan E. Carreño
*Laboratory of Integrative and Molecular Physiology, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Fernando Figueroa;
Fernando Figueroa
†Immunology and Cell Therapy Laboratory, Los Andes University, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Carlos P. Vio
Carlos P. Vio
‡Department of Physiology, Center for Aging and Regeneration, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
March 07 2011
Revision Received:
May 04 2011
Accepted:
June 16 2011
Accepted Manuscript online:
June 16 2011
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2011 Biochemical Society
2011
Clin Sci (Lond) (2011) 121 (11): 489–499.
Article history
Received:
March 07 2011
Revision Received:
May 04 2011
Accepted:
June 16 2011
Accepted Manuscript online:
June 16 2011
Citation
Sandra Villanueva, Ernesto Ewertz, Flavio Carrión, Andrés Tapia, César Vergara, Carlos Céspedes, Pablo J. Sáez, Patricia Luz, Carlos Irarrázabal, Juan E. Carreño, Fernando Figueroa, Carlos P. Vio; Mesenchymal stem cell injection ameliorates chronic renal failure in a rat model. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 December 2011; 121 (11): 489–499. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20110108
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |