Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can directly differentiate into tubular epithelial cells following acute renal failure (ARF) and promote the recovery of renal function. However, the action mechanism of repairing the kidney remains unclear. Whether BMSCs can directly differentiate into tubular epithelial cells is still controversial.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the change in renal function in ARF mice after BMSC infusion and to investigate the distribution of exogenous BMSCs in the kidney and the possibility of BMSC differentiation into tubular epithelial cells.
METHODS: BMSCs were harvested from green fluorescent protein transgenic mice. A total of 90 healthy female Kunming mice aged 8-10 weeks were randomly assigned to three groups. Mice in the ARF group and BMSC group were injected with cisplatin to establish models of ARF. At 24 hours following cisplatin injection, mice in the BMSC group were injected intravenously with BMSCs of green fluorescent protein transgenic mouse. Normal controls were left intact. At 1, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days after cisplatin injection, the blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were measured, and renal morphologic changes were observed, distribution of green fluorescent protein-positive BMSCs in the kidney was examined by fluorescence microscopy. Differentiation of BMSCs into renal tubular epithelial cells was observed using confocal microscopy.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After 4-14 days of cisplatin injection, the blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine value of BMSC group were significantly lower than in ARF group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). After 4 days, green fluorescent protein-positive BMSCs were detected in the priopticon area of renal tubule in the BMSC group. On day 7, several green fluorescent protein-positive cells were still detected. Green fluorescent protein-positive BMSCs could express tubular epithelium specific protein megalin. Results have indicated that BMSCs can differentiate into the tubular epithelial cells directly and improve the function of ARF mice.