Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Diabetic Nephropathy in Experimental Animals

Background: Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in the world, and could account for disability and high mortality rate in patients with diabetes. MSCs have several advantages for therapeutic use such as ability to migrate to the sites of tissue injury. Successful MSC treatment of diabetic nephropathy could be explained by MSCs competence to differentiate into insulin-producing beta cells followed by decrease of glycemia and glycosuria, factors important for damaging renal cells. Taken together, these data indicate that MSC transplantation prevents the pathological changes in the glomeruli and enhances their regeneration resulting in improved kidney function in diabetic animals.Aim: The present study aimed to clarify the effect of mesenchymal stem cells on an animal model of diabetic Nephropathy.Material and Methods: The study was conducted on 30 female albino rats divided into five groups: Group I (n=10) healthy female albino rats as a control group, Group E (n=10) female albino rats with induced diabetic nephropathy. Group HI (n=10) female albino rats with induced diabetic nephropathy treated with MSCs. Serum levels of TGFβ KIM-1 were estimated by ELISA. Histopathology was performed to examine kidney tissue. TGFβ CD24 were detected immunohistochemically. TGFβ gene expression was detected by real time PCR.Results: There was improvement of kidney functions andpathology, decreased TGFβ expression and KIM-1 levels after adminstration MSCs.Conclusions: Administration of MSCs exerts a therapeutic effect on diabetic Nephropathy.