Exosomes from Umbilical Cord-Originated Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) Prevent and Treat Diabetic Nephropathy in Rats via Modulating the Wingless-Related Integration Site (Wnt)/β-Catenin Signal Transduction Pathway

For the exosomes secreted by umbilical cord-originated mesenchymal stem cells (so-called hucMSC-exo), they can be applied to treat a variety of clinical diseases as a therapeutic strategy. The Wnt/ β -catenin signal pathway has received widespread attention for its capability to modulate multiple kinds of diseases including diabetic nephropathy. Our study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficiency of exosomes secreted by hucMSC-exo on the rat model with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) to induce diabetes, while rats in blank group received same amount of buffer. The DN rats were randomized into DN group and treatment group (treated with hucMSC-exo) followed by analysis of total urine protein, creatinine and urea nitrogen in serum, the histopathological changes in rat kidneys and Wnt-4 and β -catenin expression by western blot. In comparison with the rats in DN group, those in hucMSC-exo treatment group exhibited significantly reduced indexes related to urinary and renal function biochemical tests ( P < 0.05). HE staining of kidney tissues showed that abnormal degree of renal damage was significantly alleviated after treatment. In addition, exosomes can ameliorate the symptoms of renal damage in DN rats through modulating the Wnt-4/ β -catenin signal pathway. It provides an experimental basis for hucMSC-exo as a new treatment method for DN. hucMSC-exo can ameliorate the renal function and the tissue damage in DN rats through impeding Wnt-4/ β -catenin signal pathway thereby providing a basis for the prevention and treatment of DN.