Efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cell in Chinese patients with chronic renal failure: A pilot study in Shandong province, China

This study designed to evaluate efficacy and safety profile of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) versus Acetyl cysteine (NACys) in the Chinese patients with Chronic renal failure (CRF). The CRF patients having eGFR less than 60ml per minute per 1.73m(2) randomly assigned to MSCs (N=100) or NACys (N=100) (1:1) for 8 weeks. MSCs administered as intravenous infusion of marrow-derived autologous MSCs (1 x 106 to 2 x 106/kg) reperfusion, whereas, another group received NACys 600mg orally twice a day for 8 weeks. The efficacy variables include: creatinine; cystatin C; TGF-beta levels; oxidants/reactive oxygen species production induced by TGF-beta; collagen levels (type 1 and 4); urinary albumin/creatinine ratio and Glomerular area. Safety was also assesed. Both the treatments significantly decreased creatinine, cystatin C and reactive oxygen species from baseline, however, reduction in creatinine, cystatin C, and reactive oxygen species level from baseline was significantly higher in patient treated with MSCs (N=100) as compared to NACys (N=100). Moreover, improvement in renal and systemic functional parameters from baseline was significantly higher in patient treated with MSCs as compared to NACys. Overall, MSCs offer significantly greater improvement in renal function as compared to NACys in Chinese CRF patients.