Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) caused by
collagen deposit is one of the most common problems in elderly males. The present study is to investigate if human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of inhibiting
collagen deposition and improve cystometric parameters in
bladder outlet obstruction in rats. Human MSCs were labeled with nanoparticles containing superparamagnetic
iron oxide (SPION), and transplanted in rat BOO lesion site. Forty 6-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (group 1: control, group 2:
sham operation, group 3: BOO, and group 4: BOO rats receiving SPION-hMSCs). Two weeks after the onset of BOO, 1 × 10(6) SPION-hMSCs were injected into the bladder wall. Serial T2-weighted MR images were taken immediately after
transplantation of SPION-labeled human MSCs and at 4 weeks posttransplantation. T2-weighted MR images showed a clear hypointense signal induced by the SPION-labeled MSCs. While the expression of
collagen and TGF-β
protein increased after BOO, the expression of both returned to the original levels after MSC
transplantation. Expression of HGF and c-met
protein also increased in the group with MSC
transplantation. Maximal voiding pressure and residual urine volume increased after BOO but they recovered after MSC
transplantation. Human MSCs transplanted in rat BOO models inhibited the bladder
fibrosis and mediated recovery of bladder dysfunction.
Transplantation of MSC-based
cell therapy could be a novel therapeutic strategy against bladder
fibrosis in patients with
bladder outlet obstruction.