Published online Apr 26, 2023. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v15.i4.268
Peer-review started: December 13, 2022
First decision: February 11, 2023
Revised: February 24, 2023
Accepted: March 21, 2023
Article in press: March 21, 2023
Published online: April 26, 2023
Processing time: 134 Days and 5.2 Hours
There is no established treatment to impede the progression or restore kidney function in human chronic kidney disease (CKD).
To examine the efficacy of cultured human CD34+ cells with enhanced proliferating potential in kidney injury in mice.
Human umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived CD34+ cells were incubated for one week in vasculogenic conditioning medium. Vasculogenic culture significantly increased the number of CD34+ cells and their ability to form endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming units. Adenine-induced tubulointerstitial injury of the kidney was induced in immunodeficient non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency mice, and cultured human UCB-CD34+ cells were administered at a dose of 1 × 106/mouse on days 7, 14, and 21 after the start of adenine diet.
Repetitive administration of cultured UCB-CD34+ cells significantly improved the time-course of kidney dysfunction in the cell therapy group compared with that in the control group. Both interstitial fibrosis and tubular damage were significantly reduced in the cell therapy group compared with those in the control group (P < 0.01). Microvasculature integrity was significantly preserved (P < 0.01) and macrophage infiltration into kidney tissue was dramatically decreased in the cell therapy group compared with those in the control group (P < 0.001).
Early intervention using human cultured CD34+ cells significantly improved the progression of tubulointerstitial kidney injury. Repetitive administration of cultured human UCB-CD34+ cells significantly improved tubulointerstitial damage in adenine-induced kidney injury in mice via vasculoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects.
Core Tip: There is no established treatment for retarding the progression or improving advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, we provided effectiveness of cord blood derived cultured human CD34+ cell on progressive CKD model in mice. Kidney function and pathological damage were improved by repetitive cell therapy along with the improvement of microvasculature and inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration in the kidney. Enhanced cell potential (proliferation and increase of endothelial progenitor cell colony-forming unit) by culture might be a key factor for improving progressive kidney injury.