The current study sought to clarify the role of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM‐MSCs) and adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD‐MSCs) in repressing nephropathy in the experimental model. Moreover, the aim of this work was extended to compare between stem cells role and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in kidney repair.

Isolation and preparation of MSCs culture, flow cytometry using CD34, CD44 and CD105 cell surface markers, biochemical analyses for determination of serum creatinine, urea, transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β), cystatin C (CYS‐C) and urinary N‐Acetyl‐ß‐D–Glucosaminidase (UNAG), and histopathological investigation of kidney tissue sections were performed.

The results of the present study revealed that single intravenous infusion of MSCs either derived from bone marrow or adipose tissue was able to enhance renal reparative processes through significantly decreased serum creatinine, urea, TGF‐β and CYS‐C levels as well as UNAG level and significantly increase glomerular filtration rate. Additionally, the histopathological investigations of kidney tissues showed that MSCs have significant regenerative effects as evidenced by the decrease in focal inflammatory cells infiltration, focal interstitial nephritis and congested glomeruli as well as degenerated tubules.

The current data provided distinct evidence about the favourable impact of AD‐MSCs and BM‐MSCs in attenuation of cyclosporine‐induced nephropathy in rats through their ability to promote functional and structural kidney repair via transdifferentiation.