Background-Atherosclerotic renovascular disease may augment deterioration of renal function and ischemic nephropathy compared with other causes of renal artery stenosis (RAS), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that concurrent early atherosclerosis and hypoperfusion might have greater early deleterious effects on the function and structure of the stenotic kidney. Methods and Results-Regional renal hemodynamics and function at baseline and during vasoactive challenge (acetylcholine or sodium nitroprusside) were quantified in vivo in pigs by electron-beam computed tomography after a 12-week normal (nϭ7) or hypercholesterolemic (HC, nϭ7) diet, RAS (nϭ6), or concurrent HC and a similar degree of RAS (HCϩRAS, nϭ7). Flash-frozen renal tissue was studied ex vivo. Basal cortical perfusion and single-kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were decreased similarly in the stenotic RAS and HCϩRAS kidneys, but tubular fluid reabsorption was markedly impaired only in HCϩRAS. Perfusion responses to challenge were similarly blunted in the experimental groups. Stimulated GFR increased in normal, HC, and RAS (38.3Ϯ3.6%, 36.4Ϯ7.6%, and 60.4Ϯ9.3%, respectively, PϽ0.05), but not in HCϩRAS (6.5Ϯ15.1%). These functional abnormalities in HCϩRAS were accompanied by augmented perivascular, tubulointerstitial, and glomerular fibrosclerosis, inflammation, systemic and tissue oxidative stress, and tubular expression of nuclear factor-B and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Conclusions-Early chronic HCϩRAS imposes distinct detrimental effects on renal function and structure in vivo and in vitro, evident primarily in the tubular and glomerular compartments. Increased oxidative stress may be involved in the proinflammatory and progrowth changes observed in the stenotic HCϩRAS kidney, which might potentially facilitate the clinically observed progression to end-stage renal disease.

Background-Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) promote neovascularization and endothelial repair. Renal artery stenosis (RAS) may impair renal function by inducing intrarenal microvascular injury and remodeling. We investigated whether replenishment with EPCs would protect the renal microcirculation in chronic experimental renovascular disease. Methods and Results-Single-kidney hemodynamics and function were assessed with the use of multidetector computed tomography in vivo in pigs with RAS, pigs with RAS 4 weeks after intrarenal infusion of autologous EPCs, and controls. Renal microvascular remodeling and angiogenic pathways were investigated ex vivo with the use of micro-computed tomography, histology, and Western blotting. EPCs increased renal expression of angiogenic factors, stimulated proliferation and maturation of new vessels, and attenuated renal microvascular remodeling and fibrosis in RAS. Furthermore, EPCs normalized the blunted renal microvascular and filtration function. Conclusions-The present study shows that a single intrarenal infusion of autologous EPCs preserved microvascular architecture and function and decreased microvascular remodeling in experimental chronic RAS. It is likely that restoration of the angiogenic cascade by autologous EPCs involved not only generation of new vessels but also acceleration of their maturation and stabilization. This contributed to preserving the blood supply, hemodynamics, and function of the RAS kidney, supporting EPCs as a promising therapeutic intervention for preserving the kidney in renovascular disease. (Circulation. 2009;119:547-557.)Key Words: blood flow Ⅲ kidney Ⅲ progenitor cells Ⅲ renal artery stenosis Ⅲ hypertension, renal E ndothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) mobilized endogenously in response to ischemia play a crucial role in augmenting neovascularization of ischemic tissues and endothelial replacement after vascular injury. Replenishment of such cells may limit vascular injury through reconstitution of the luminal barrier and cellular secretion of paracrine factors, providing a novel therapeutic option. 1,2 Indeed, growing experimental and clinical evidence underscores the critical role that circulating cells play in healing the endothelium when the intrinsic system is unable to adequately support tissue repair. Targeted delivery of EPCs has been shown to improve the function of the infarcted myocardium, 3 decrease hindlimb ischemia, 4,5 rescue the kidney from acute ischemia injury, 6 and participate in glomerular endothelial repair in glomerulonephritis. 7 Clinical Perspective p 557Ischemic nephropathy secondary to renal artery stenosis (RAS) represents an important cause of renovascular disease and hypertension that may induce renal injury and lead to end-stage renal disease. The presence of renovascular disease also constitutes an independent predictor for increased morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular disease and cardiac events. 8 We have shown previously that the kidney exposed to chronic RAS shows significant functional deteriorati...

Background Reno-protective strategies are needed to improve renal outcomes in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS). Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can promote renal regeneration, but their potential for attenuating cellular injury and restoring kidney repair in ARAS has not been explored. We hypothesized that replenishment of MSC as an adjunct to percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) would restore renal cellular integrity and improve renal function in ARAS pigs. Methods and Results Four groups of pigs (n=7 each) were studied after 16 weeks of ARAS, ARAS 4 weeks after PTRA and stenting with or without adjunct intra-renal delivery of MSC (10×106 cells), and controls. Stenotic kidney blood flow (renal blood flow[RBF]) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were measured using multidetector computer tomography (CT). Renal microvascular architecture (micro-CT), fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress were evaluated ex-vivo. Four weeks after successful PTRA, mean arterial pressure fell to a similar level in all revascularized groups. Stenotic kidney GFR and RBF remained decreased in ARAS (p=0.01 and p=0.02) and ARAS+PTRA (p=0.02 and p=0.03) compared to normal, but rose to normal levels in ARAS+PTRA+MSC (p=0.34 and p=0.46 vs. normal). Interstitial fibrosis, inflammation, microvascular rarefaction, and oxidative stress were attenuated only in PTRA+MSC-treated pigs. Conclusions A single intra-renal delivery of MSC in conjunction with renal revascularization restored renal hemodynamics and function, and decreased inflammation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, microvascular loss, and fibrosis. This study suggests a unique and novel therapeutic potential for MSC in restoring renal function when combined with PTRA in chronic experimental renovascular disease.