Immunomagnetic Delivery of Adipose-Derived Endothelial Progenitor Cells for the Repair of Renal Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury in a Rat Model

Abstract

Renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) is a significant cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) and usually brings severe public health consequences. Adipose-derived endothelial progenitor cell (AdEPCs) transplantation is beneficial for AKI but suffers from low delivery efficiency. This study was conducted to explore the protective effects of magnetically delivered AdEPCs on the repair of renal IRI. Two types of magnetic delivery methods, namely the endocytosis magnetization (EM) method and the immunomagnetic (IM) method were fabricated using PEG@Fe3O4 and CD133@Fe3O4, and their cytotoxicities in AdEPCs were assessed. In the renal IRI rat model, magnetic AdEPCs were injected via the tail vein and a magnet was placed beside the injured kidney for magnetic guidance. The distribution of transplanted AdEPCs, renal function, and tubular damage were evaluated. Our results suggested that CD133@Fe3O4 had the minimum negative effects on the proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and migration of AdEPCs compared with PEG@Fe3O4. Renal magnetic guidance could significantly enhance the transplantation efficiency and the therapeutic outcomes of AdEPCs–PEG@Fe3O4 and AdEPCs–CD133@Fe3O4 in the injured kidneys. However, under renal magnetic guidance, AdEPCs–CD133@Fe3O4 had stronger therapeutic effects than PEG@Fe3O4 after renal IRI. The immunomagnetic delivery of AdEPCs with CD133@Fe3O4 could be a promising therapeutic strategy for renal IRI.