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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Ischemia-reperfusion Model of Acute Kidney Injury and Post Injury Fibrosis in Mice
Published on: August 9, 2013
CD8 + CD103 + iTregs protect against ischemia-reperfusion-induced acute kidney Injury by inhibiting pyroptosis
Qiuju Chen1,2, Xiao Zhang3, Hui Yang1,2
1Department of Nephrology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
The occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is elevated, one of the main causes is ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). However, no specific therapy is currently available to treat I/R-induced AKI (I/R-AKI). Treg cells have been demonstrated to perform an anti-inflammatory role in a range of autoimmune and inflammatory illnesses. However, there is limited available information about the possible functions of CD8 + CD103 + iTregs in I/R-AKI. We utilized renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) and I/R-AKI mouse model to investigate whether CD8 + CD103 + iTregs could attenuate AKI and the underlying mechanism. In vitro, co-cultured with CD8 + CD103 + iTregs alleviated H/R-induced cell injury. After treatment of CD8 + CD103 + iTregs rather than control cells, a significant improvement of I/R-AKI was observed in vivo, including decreased serum creatinine (sCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, reduced renal pathological injury, lowered tubular apoptosis and inhibition of the transition from AKI to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Mechanically, CD8 + CD103 + iTregs alleviated H/R-induced cell injury and I/R-AKI partly by suppressing RTECs pyroptosis via inhibiting the NLRP3/Caspase-1 axis. Our study provides a novel perspective on the possibility of CD8 + CD103 + iTregs for the treatment of I/R-AKI.
The occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is elevated, one of the main causes is ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). However, no specific therapy is currently available to treat I/R-induced AKI (I/R-AKI). Treg cells have been demonstrated to perform an anti-inflammatory role in a range of autoimmune and inflammatory illnesses. However, there is limited available information about the possible functions of CD8 + CD103 + iTregs in I/R-AKI. We utilized renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) and I/R-AKI mouse model to investigate whether CD8 + CD103 + iTregs could attenuate AKI and the underlying mechanism. In vitro, co-cultured with CD8 + CD103 + iTregs alleviated H/R-induced cell injury. After treatment of CD8 + CD103 + iTregs rather than control cells, a significant improvement of I/R-AKI was observed in vivo, including decreased serum creatinine (sCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, reduced renal pathological injury, lowered tubular apoptosis and inhibition of the transition from AKI to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Mechanically, CD8 + CD103 + iTregs alleviated H/R-induced cell injury and I/R-AKI partly by suppressing RTECs pyroptosis via inhibiting the NLRP3/Caspase-1 axis. Our study provides a novel perspective on the possibility of CD8 + CD103 + iTregs for the treatment of I/R-AKI.
Related Concept Videos
Acute Kidney Injury I: Introduction
Acute Kidney Injury II: Pathophysiology
Acute Kidney Injury III: Clinical Manifestations
Acute Kidney Injury IV: Diagnostic Studies and Prevention
Acute Kidney Injury V: Interprofessional Care

