Effect of stem cells injection in adult male albino rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy

Abstract EN

Background : Diabetic Nephropathy is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease and the most frequent cause of mortality in patients with diabetes.

Therefore, it is extremely important to identify novel interventions to halt the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Aim : This study investigated the effect of human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) derived (CD34+) stem cells therapy on renal morphologic and functional changes and alterations of kidney enzyme levels in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy in rats.

Materials and Methods : Sixty adult male albino rats were included in this study and were randomly and equally divided into three groups.

Group 'A' was the control, group 'B' was treated with STZ (65 mg / kg, IP) only and group 'C' was treated with STZ and HUCB CD34+ stem cells (1 x 106 cells / rat, IV).

Results : Intravenous injection of CD34 + cells caused significant improvement in blood glucose level (438.3 ± 67 mg / dl of group B vs.

141.8 ± 23.4 mg / dl of group C, p < 0.01).

Serum urea and creatinine levels were significantly lower of group C than group B.

The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzymes in the kidney tissues were significantly lower of group C than group B.

Histo-pathology of the kidney showed much better recovery of group C than group B.

Conclusion : HUCB CD34 + cells transplantation in diabetic rats is able to improve blood glucose level, partially amelio-rate the renal damage in diabetic rats and consequently improve renal function, renal histology and renal enzyme levels alteration.