Alternative source of stem cells from urine could improve access to regenerative therapies

Scientists at the Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf, Germany have demonstrated a protocol to extract kidney stem cells from urine. The UdRPCs (urine-derived renal progenitor cells) could potentially offer easier access to stem cells for regenerative therapies that target kidney diseases. UdRPCs could also aid in research and development using disease models. One of the primary difficulties associated with procuring stem cells is the shortage of donors. There are also risks associated with stem cell extraction from the bone marrow or third-trimester amniotic fluid. Given these difficulties with traditional stem cell sources, researchers have been looking for alternatives. Several laboratories have indicated that kidney stem cells could potentially be available in human urine. The HHU group has completed a thorough analysis of urine-derived kidney stem cells at the molecular and cellular level. The study, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports, obtained UdRPCs from 10 people of different demographics. The authors reported that the UdRPCs expressed the same markers which are usually seen in mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow. The properties of the urine-derived stem cells were also found to be similar to those obtained from amniotic fluid. Renal stem cells are progenitor cells that can differentiate into the different types of cells present in the kidneys. “It is amazing that these valuable cells can be isolated from urine and comparing all the genes expressed in UdRPCs with that derived from kidney biopsies we could confirm their renal and renal progenitor cell properties and origin,” says Wasco Wruck, co-author and bio-informatician. Martina Bohndorf, a study co-author, says that urine-derived kidney progenitor cells can be reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using a safe, easy, and virus-free method. IPSCs, which are typically derived from embryos, offer a unique opportunity to create models of human diseases and are being used to make discoveries about cancer, heart disease, and aging. The growing prevalence of kidney diseases is driving the interest in stem-cell-based therapies. More than 850 million people suffer from kidney diseases worldwide, placing considerable health and economic burdens on patients and healthcare systems. Stem cell-based treatments for kidney disease can potentially overcome some of the limitations of traditional therapies like dialysis and the shortage of donors for organ transplantation. Traditional stem cell sources, which include cord blood, amniotic fluid, and bone marrow, are not easily accessible and/or are associated with pain and risks during cell extraction. Kidney biopsies can be performed to obtain renal stem cells, but they are only done for research purposes. An alternative source of stem cells from urine is, therefore, an exciting development. According to senior study author, Dr. James Adjaye, director of the Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine at Heinrich Heine University, some of the most promising uses of UdRPCs are the adjunctive treatment of kidney diseases, the study of nephrotoxicity and nephrogenesis using disease modeling, and drug development.