Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Renal Inflammation, Microvascular Rarefaction and Fibrosis in the Renovascular Hypertension Rat Model.

Renovascular hypertension induced by 2 Kidney‐1 clip (2K‐1C) results in significant renal functional deterioration in consequence of inflammation, microvascular rarefaction and fibrosis, so we investigated the potential effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in this model. Three weeks after renal artery occlusion, fluorescently tagged MSC (2×105cells/animal) were weekly injected into the tail vein. Rats were divided in groups control (n=5), control treated with MSC (n=2), 2K‐1C (n=8) and 2K‐1C treated with MSC (n=7). Tracking assay by flow cytometry showed that labeled MSC were present in the cortex and medulla of the clipped kidney. MSC prevented further increase in the arterial pressure in 2K‐1C rats, improved the morphology and decreased fibrosis in the clipped kidney. Renal pro inflammatory cytokines IL‐1β, IL‐6 and TNF‐α mRNA expression levels were significantly decreased after MSC treatment, while the anti‐inflammatory IL‐10 expression was increased. MSC improved microvascular architecture in the clipped kidney and reduced the proteinuria. The present study showed that MSC improved the morphology and attenuated inflammation, microvascular rarefaction, fibrosis and proteinuria in the clipped kidney, suggesting a therapeutic potential of MSC in kidney exposed to chronic hypoxia induced by renal artery occlusion.