Foxp3-transduced polyclonal regulatory T cells protect against chronic renal injury from adriamycin

Chronic proteinuric renal injury is a major cause of ESRD. Adriamycin nephropathy is a murine model of chronic proteinuric renal disease whereby chemical injury is followed by immune and structural changes that mimic human disease. Foxp3 is a gene that induces a regulatory T cell (Treg) phenotype. It was hypothesized that Foxp3-transduced Treg could protect against renal injury in Adriamycin nephropathy. CD4+ T cells were transduced with either a Foxp3-containing retrovirus or a control retrovirus. Foxp3-transduced T cells had a regulatory phenotype by functional and phenotypic assays. Adoptive transfer of Foxp3-transduced T cells protected against renal injury. Urinary protein excretion and serum creatinine were reduced (P < 0.05), and there was significantly less glomerulosclerosis, tubular damage, and interstitial infiltrates (P < 0.01). It is concluded that Foxp3-transduced Treg cells may have a therapeutic role in protecting against immune injury and disease progression in chronic proteinuric renal disease.