Objective: To study the protective effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HuMSCs) on the progression of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in rats.
Methods: HuMSCs were incubated by adherent culture. Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: No intervention was applied to the rats of normal control group. Model group and transplant group were injected with adriamycin 4 mg/kg (on day 1) and 3.5 mg/kg (on day 8) via the tail vein, in addition, the transplant group rats were injected with 1 mL HuMSCs suspension (2×10(6);/mL) via the tail vein on day 1, 8, 15 and 22, whereas the model group rats were injected with the same dosage of DMEM in the same way.
Results: Transplantation of HuMSCs remarkably alleviated urine protein excretion and hypoalbuminemia, decreased serum cystatin C level and improved kidney damage and inflammatory cell infiltration in renal interstitium. Furthermore, HuMSCs decreased the expressions of TGF-β1 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) mRNA in kidney and reduced the levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α.
Conclusion: Transplantation of HuMSCs could alleviate or inhibit the progression of FSGS in rats, of which the mechanism might be related to the regulation the synthesis and release of inflammatory mediators and the inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration.