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Background Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe complication of diabetes mellitus and a common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, which render them an attractive therapeutic tool for tissue damage and inflammation. Methods This study was designed to determine the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) on streptozotocin-induced DN. Renal function and histological staining were used to evaluate kidney damage. RNA high-throughput sequencing on rat kidney and UCMSC-derived exosomes was used to identify the critical miRNAs. Co-cultivation of macrophage cell lines and UC-MSCs-derived conditional medium were used to assess the involvement of macrophage polarization signaling. Results UC-MSC administration significantly improved renal function, reduced the local and systemic inflammatory cytokine levels, and attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration into the kidney tissue in DN rats. Moreover, UC-MSCs shifted macrophage polarization from a pro-inflammatory M1 to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Mechanistically, miR-146a-5p was significantly downregulated and negatively correlated with renal injury in DN rats as determined through high-throughput RNA sequencing. Importantly, UC-MSCs-derived miR-146a-5p promoted M2 macrophage polarization by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-6 (TRAF6)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT1) signaling pathway. Furthermore, miR-146a-5p modification in UC-MSCs enhanced the efficacy of anti-inflammation and renal function improvement. Conclusions Collectively, our findings demonstrate that UC-MSCs-derived miR-146a-5p have the potential to restore renal function in DN rats through facilitating M2 macrophage polarization by targeting TRAF6. This would pave the way for the use of miRNA-modified cell therapy for kidney diseases.

stem cell research and therapy

MicroRNA-146a-5p-modified human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells enhance protection against diabetic nephropathy in rats through facilitating M2 macrophage polarization