Tranfused Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Prevent Progressive Renal Failure Induced by 5/6 Nephrectomy in Rats

Purpose: We attempted to assess the therapeutic effectiveness of human umbilical blood stem cells (HUCBSCs) in a 5/6 nephrectomy rat model. Material and Methods: We used the 5/6 nephrectomy model in rats to induce chronic renal failure. Male Spraguc-Dawlcy rats were allocated to 3 groups: Sham, 5/6 Ncphrectomy and 5/6 nephrectomy plus human umbilical cord blood stem cells transfusion. We assessed blood pressure, renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, fractional excretion sodium percentage and histological examination. Result: HUCBSCS-treated animals had significantly better renal function and better injury scores at day 10 after nephrectomy. HUCBSCs treatment prevented the progressive increment in plasma crcatinin and blood urea nitrogen observed in the 5/6 nephrectomized rats. The decrement in glomerular filtration rate induced by renal ablation was modified by HUCBSCs treatment. Increments in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures induced by 5/6 nephrectomy did not return to control levels in the HUCBSCs-treated group. There were remarkable tubular necrosis, protein cast, medullary congestion and fibrosis in 5/6 nephrectomized rats but HUCBSCs treatment significantly reduced all but fibrosis was not responding to treatment. Conclusion: HUCBSCs ameliorated progressive renal damage and some renal function in the remnant kidney after 5/6 nephrectomy, whereas renal blood flow and systemic hypertension was unchanged.