Nephroprotective effects of subcapsular transplantation of metanephric mesenchymal cells on acute tubular necrosis rats / 中华肾脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo evaluate the nephroprotective effects of transplanting metanephric mesenchymal cells (MMCs) into the renal subcaspsule of rats with acute tubular necrosis (ATN) induced by gentamicin. MethodsMMCs were expanded in culture and immunocytochemistry was used to characterize the cells. After gentamicin-induced ATN, fluorescence-labeled cells were transplanted and traced in kidney tissues by fluorescence microscopy. Serum creatinine (Scr) and N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were tested. Kidney pathology was studied by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Apoptosis was examined by the TUNEL assay. Ki-67 and Bcl-2 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. ResultsMMCs were expanded in culture and the phenotype of the cells was vimentin-positive and keratin-negative. Compared with other ATN groups, in the MMCs-treated group, Scr and NAG clearly decreased[14d Scr: (101.38±20.46) μmol/L vs (248.78±23.15), (252.98±33.52), (229.08±18.18) μmol/L;NAG: (14.83±7.74) U/L vs (33.33±14.88), (29.62±10.54), (30.22±10.94) U/L, P<0.05, respectively];the histopathoiogic lesion scores were lower (P<0.05);the Ki-67 antibody and apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells were improved or reduced respectively;the expression of Bcl-2 protein was up-regulated (P<0.05). ConclusionThe subcapsular transplantation of MMCs can ameliorate renal function and repair kidney injury.