PINK1 Kinase Enhances the Repair Effects of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Mice

Abstract:

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common severe acute syndrome caused by multiple causes, which is characterized by a rapid decline of renal function in a short period. Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are effective in the treatment of AKI. However, it remains unclear about the mechanism of their beneficial effects. PENT-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) may play an important role in the kidney tissue repair. In this study, an endeavor would be made to explore the enhancing effect of PINK1 overexpression on the repair of AKI through BMSCs.

Methods: In this study, the ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury (IRI-AKI) in mice and the hypoxia-reoxygenation model of cells were established, and the indexes were detected by pathology and immunology experimental.

Results: After ischemia/reperfusion, compared with the BMSCs group, the OE PINK1 group had a decreased expression of BUN, the mitigated renal fibrosis , the reduced tissue damage degree. Overexpressed PINK1 could decrease the inflammatory reaction of injured kidney tissues in IRI-AKI mice, the decreased expression of IL-10 in peripheral blood serum; and regulate the distribution of immune cells in the kidney during IRI, the decreased infiltration of lymphocytes, the increased infiltration of macrophages; and reduce the stress response of BMSCs under hypoxia and inflammation; and enhance the stress response of BMSCs to renal tubular epithelial cells(RTECs) under hypoxia and inflammation, the decreased apoptosis rate of RTECs, the decreased release of TNF-α in the cell supernatant, and the decreased proliferation of PBMCs in peripheral blood after hypoxia and reoxygenation; and regulate the autophagy of BMSCs in kidney tissues with IRI-AKI to better repair the injured kidney tissues, the increased expression of LC3-B related to autophagy and the decreased expression of mTOR.

Conclusions: In this study, PINK1 overexpression enhances the repair effect of BMSCs on IRI-AKI, and the distribution of injured renal immune cells during IRI regulation by BMSCs. Besides, PINK1 enhances BMSCs and their resistance to the stress response of RTECs under hypoxia and inflammation. In addition, it regulates mitophagy during IRI-AKI. The findings of this study provide a new direction and target for the repair of IRI-AKI through BMSCs.