Evaluation of therapy with allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells in chronic renal disease of dogs and cats

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a disease characterized by tubulo-interstitial inflammation, tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis with progressive loss of renal function, has become a relatively common condition in dogs and cats. Due to the fact that renal transplantation is not yet a viable option in veterinary med-icine, studies have been carried out to evaluate the possibility of treatment of CKD with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, an-ti-fibrotic and immunomodulatory responses that these cells possess. Eleven patients with CKD (6 dogs and 5 cats) were evaluated and submitted to therapy with halogen MSCs. All 5 cats and 4 out of the 6 dogs had a decrease in serum creatinine levels after cell transplantation, indicating that there was a significant decrease in creati-nine in dogs (P = 0.0238). There was also a considerable decrease in the frequency of vomiting (P<0.05) and increase in the appetite (P<0.05) of the animals that re-ceived the cell therapy, according to the tutors' perception. These results suggest that MSCs therapy can be evaluated as an alternative for animals with CKD. Further studies should be performed, with follow-up for a longer period of time in order to establish the best concentration of cells and the ideal number of applications for stabilization of patients with CKD.