Amelioration of diabetic nephropathy in mice by a single intravenous injection of human mesenchymal stromal cells at early and later disease stages is associated with restoration of autophagy.

Single intravenous injections of hUC-MSCs ameliorated glomerular abnormalities and interstitial fibrosis in a mouse model of STZ-induced diabetes without affecting hyperglycemia, whether administered at relatively short or longer duration of diabetes. At both time-points, the reno-protective effects of hUC-MSCs were associated with reduced circulating TGF-β1 and restoration of intra-renal autophagy.