Use of placental stem cells in treatment of acute kidney injury

1. A method of treating acute kidney injury (AKI) in a subject having AKI comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of placental stem cells, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is an amount sufficient to cause a detectable improvement in one or more symptoms or complications of AKI, or a reduction in the progression of one or more symptoms or complications of AKI, in the subject, wherein said AKI is the result of direct trauma to one or more of the kidneys of the subject.

2. A method of preventing one or more symptoms or complications associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in a subject having AKI comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of placental stem cells, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is an amount sufficient to prevent the onset of one or more symptoms or complications of AKI in the subject, wherein said AKI is the result of direct trauma to one or more of the kidneys of the subject.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said placental stem cells are CD10+, CD34−, CD105+, CD200+ placental stem cells.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said placental stem cells express OCT-4.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said placental stem cells are additionally CD45− and CD90+.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein said placental stem cells are additionally CD80− and CD86−.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the symptom associated with AKI is fatigue, bloody stool, bad breath, metallic taste in the mouth, bruising, hand tremor, high blood pressure, nosebleeds, hiccups, seizures, shortness of breath, changes in urination pattern, loss of appetite, headache, nausea and vomiting, irregular heartbeat, pain in the flanks, thirst, palpable bladder, accumulation of fluid in the limbs (peripheral edema) and/or the lungs (pulmonary edema), and/or cardiac tamponade.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the changes in urination pattern comprise a loss of ability to urinate regularly and/or frequent urination at night.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pain in the flanks is a pain caused by thrombosis of the renal blood vessels and/or by inflammation of the kidney.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein said method results in an increase in glomerular filtration rate, a decrease in serum creatinine level, a decrease in urine creatinine level, an increase in creatinine clearance, a decrease in the level of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and/or a decrease in fractional excretion of sodium in the subject.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein said placental stem cells are administered systemically, intravenously, intraarterially, or locally.