Mesenchymal Stem Cells Therapy in Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity

Stem cell therapy has the future to change the face of human diseases and alleviate suffering. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have generated a great deal of excitement and promise as a potential source for stem cell-based therapeutic strategies. These data provide the clue of using MSCs in the current work to modulate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, the severest adverse effect of the well-known anticancer drug; cisplatin. Forty adult albino rats were used in this study; MSCs of bone marrow origin were injected into the rat tail vein one day after a single dose of intra-peritoneal injection of cisplatin. Four weeks later, the kidney was examined morphologically, histopathologically and ultra-structurally. Renal functions (urea, creatinine) as well as serum electrolytes levels (Na, K) were estimated. Cisplatin produced marked histopathological changes in rat kidney and impaired renal functions however; MSCs ameliorated cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity both functionally and structurally to a great extent. MSCs have a potential therapeutic effect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.