Comparative study on therapeutic effects of human stem cells sin experimental diabetic nephropathy

Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease. The pathophysiology of DKD includes oxidative stress, the formation of advanced glycation end-products, cellular signaling, and renewal processes, so they are potential targets for future drug therapy. One of these therapies is stem cells, as there is no specific treatment for diabetic nephropathy. Objective This study aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of human hematopoietic or mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy in rats. Materials and methods A total of 40 Swiss albino male rats were used in the present study. The animals were randomly divided into four groups: group I, control group (10 rats); group II, DKD group (10 rats), where streptozotocin-induced DKD rat models were used; group III, DKD group (10 rats), where streptozotocin-induced DKD rat models were used; group III, DKD treated with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs); and group IV, DKD treated with hematopoietic endothelial progenitor stem cells (EPSCs). The four studied groups were assessed for renal function tests, serum CD44, interleukin 6, interleukin 18, intercellular adhesion molecule-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, total antioxidant capacity, and serum rat malondialdehyde. Results There were significant differences between both DKD treated with MSCs and those treated with hematopoietic EPSCs groups and the DKD group without treatment, whereas there was no statistically significant difference between both stem cells-treated groups and the control group. Conclusion This study showed that hematopoietic EPSCs have the same renoprotective effect when compared with MSCs.