Background
Crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN) is a disease which causes severe inflammation and damage of the kidney. The current treatments are non-specific, toxic and cause many serious side effects. Therefore, safer and effective treatments are needed. In this study, we tested if human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAECs), obtained from the human placenta after birth, can attenuate crescentic GN using a mouse model.
Methods
GN was induced by injection of sheep anti-mouse glomerular basement membrane globulin on day 0. Then, saline or hAECs were given on day 10, when injury is already present. On day 21, we assessed GN development and immunity against sheep globulin. hAECs were also cultured in vitro and their expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators analysed by flow cytometry.
Results
hAECs significantly attenuated the development of GN. This was shown by decreased proteinuria and crescent formation in glomeruli. Furthermore, they significantly reduced leukocyte infiltration in the kidney. hAECs did not affect the levels of mouse anti-sheep globulin antibody in serum. In-vitro studies showed that hAECs expressed anti-inflammatory cytokines, TGFβ and IL-10, but did not express pro-inflammatory molecules such as MHC-II, CD40 or CD86.
Conclusion
hAECs inhibit the development of crescentic GN in mice. Therefore, hAECs may be a safer, effective therapy for this disease.