A. N. Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology MSU
The therapeutic effect of intravenous injection of human fetal bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells or summary culture of kidney cells were studied on models of chronic or acute renal failure in outbred albino rats. Both cell types promoted improvement and normalization of the renal function in rats with stable chronic renal insufficiency (2 weeks after kidney cell injection, 1 month after bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell injection). Renal function remained normal or subnormal during the delayed period (3-3.5 months after injection). In rats with latent stage of chronic renal insufficiency, exacerbation was induced by additional 40-min ischemia. All rats receiving intravenous injection of saline died. Improvement of the functional parameters started 2 weeks after injection of kidney cells or bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and normalization was observed after 1.1-5 months. During the delayed period (after 3-4 months), functional parameters retained at normal or subnormal levels. In experimental series III, all rats with acute renal failure intravenously injected with saline (control) died from uremia on days 2-4. After injection of kidney cells 50% rats survived and renal function in these animals returned to normal after 2 weeks. After injection of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells 83% rats survived, functional parameters returned to normal after 3 weeks.