title: The role of bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stem cells in attenuation of kidney function in rats with diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stem cell therapy holds a great promise for the repair of injured tissues and organs, including the kidney. We studied the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on experimental diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rats and the possible paracrine signals that mediate their action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were divided into controls, DN rats, DN rats receiving MSCs. MSCs were given in a dose of (106cells) by intravenous injection. After 4 weeks, 24 h urinary albumin, serum urea and creatinine concentrations, transforming growth factor β (TGF β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), B-cell lymphoma 2 (bcl2) and Bax gene expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were assessed. Histopathology staining was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MSC therapy significantly improved 24 h urinary albumin, serum urea and creatinine concentrations, increased angiogenic growth factor VEGF, and anti-apoptotic protein bcl2 while decreased the pro-inflammatory TNF-α, fibrogenic growth factor TGF β, and pro-apoptotic protein Bax. The histopathology examination showed patchy areas of minimal necrosis and degeneration in renal tubules.
authors.forename: Mohamed Talaat
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Abdel Aziz
authors.forename: Mohamed Abdel Aziz
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wassef
authors.forename: Hanan Hosni
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.forename: Soheir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahfouz
authors.forename: Mayssa Ibrahim
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Aly
authors.affiliation: Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Kasr El Aini, Cairo, Egypt. rania.hussein@kasralainy.edu.eg.
authors.forename: Rania Elsayed
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdelaziz