Bone marrow-derived cells can acquire renal stem cells properties and ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion induced acute renal injury

Background Bone marrow (BM) stem cells have been reported to contribute to tissue repair after kidney injury model. However, there is no direct evidence so far that BM cells can trans-differentiate into renal stem cells. Methods To investigate whether BM stem cells contribute to repopulate the renal stem cell pool, we transplanted BM cells from transgenic mice, expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into wild-type irradiated recipients. Following hematological reconstitution and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), Sca-1 and c-Kit positive renal stem cells in kidney were evaluated by immunostaining and flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was administrated to further explore if G-CSF can mobilize BM cells and enhance trans-differentiation efficiency of BM cells into renal stem cells. Results BM-derived cells can contribute to the Sca-1 + or c-Kit + renal progenitor cells population, although most renal stem cells came from indigenous cells. Furthermore, G-CSF administration nearly doubled the frequency of Sca-1+ BM-derived renal stem cells and increased capillary density of I/R injured kidneys. Conclusions These findings indicate that BM derived stem cells can give rise to cells that share properties of renal resident stem cell. Moreover, G-CSF mobilization can enhance this effect.