Putative endothelial progenitor cells do not promote vascular repair but attenuate pericyte-myofibroblast transition in UUO-induced renal fibrosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Putative endothelial progenitor cells (pEPCs) have been confirmed to participate in alleviation of renal fibrosis in several ischaemic diseases. However, their mechanistic effect on renal fibrosis, which is characterized by vascular regression and further rarefaction-related pathology, remains unknown.

Methods

To explore the effect and molecular mechanisms by which pEPCs act on unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis, we isolated pEPCs from murine bone marrow. In vivo, pEPCs (2 × 10⁵ cells/day) and pEPC-MVs (microvesicles) were injected into UUO mice via the tail vein. In vitro, pEPCs were co-cultured with renal-derived pericytes. Pericyte-myofibroblast transition was evaluated using the myofibroblast marker α-smooth muscle actin (α

SUBMITTER: Yang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6429829 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature