title: Administration of neural precursor cells ameliorates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.
abstract: In this study we evaluated whether administration of stem cells of neural origin (neural precursor cells, NPCs) could be protective against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). We hypothesized that stem cell outcomes are not tissue-specific and that NPCs can improve tissue damage through paracrine mechanisms, especially due to immunomodulation. To this end, Wistar rats (200-250 g) were submitted to 1-hour ischemia and treated with NPCs (4 x 10(6) cells/animal) at 4 h of reperfusion. To serve as controls, ischemic animals were treated with cerebellum homogenate harvested from adult rat brain. All groups were sacrificed at 24 h of reperfusion. NPCs were isolated from rat fetus telencephalon and cultured until neurosphere formation (7 days). Before administration, NPCs were labeled with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimydylester (CFSE). Kidneys were harvested for analysis of cytokine profile and macrophage infiltration. At 24 h, NPC treatment resulted in a significant reduction in serum creatinine (IRI + NPC 1.21 + 0.18 vs. IRI 3.33 + 0.14 and IRI + cerebellum 2.95 + 0.78 mg/dl, p < 0.05) and acute tubular necrosis (IRI + NPC 46.0 + 2.4% vs. IRI 79.7 + 14.2%, p < 0.05). NPC-CFSE and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells (astrocyte marker) were found exclusively in renal parenchyma, which also presented GFAP and SOX-2 (an embryonic neural stem cell marker) mRNA expression. NPC treatment resulted in lower renal proinflammatory IL1-beta and TNF-alpha expression and higher anti-inflammatory IL-4 and IL-10 transcription. NPC-treated animals also had less macrophage infiltration and decreased serum proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and INF-gamma). Our data suggested that NPC therapy improved renal function by influencing immunological responses.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica e Experimental, Division of Nephrology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pamella Huey Mei
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Telma T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Schwindt
authors.forename: Gabriela Filoso
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Barnabé
authors.forename: Fabiana L T
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Semedo
authors.forename: Felipe Caetano
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Beraldo
authors.forename: Marilda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzali
authors.forename: Marlene Antonia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dos Reis
authors.forename: Vicente de Paula Antunes
authors.initials: Vde P
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pacheco-Silva
authors.forename: Luis Eugênio A de
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Niels Olsen Saraiva
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Câmara