Background:
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous condition involving multiple comorbidities. Phenotypic classification of HFpEF associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) manifests worse outcomes, compared to other HFpEF phenotypes. Few treatments improve morbidity and mortality in HFpEF. Stem cell therapy promotes cardiac repair in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. We hypothesized that allogeneic stem cell treatment ameliorates HFpEF in a large animal model of CKD.
Methods:
Yorkshire pigs (n=26) underwent 5/6 embolization-mediated nephrectomy and 4-weeks later received either: allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) (10х10
6
), Kidney stem cells (KSC; 10х10
6
), combination (ACCT; MSC+KSC; 1:1 ratio [5х10
6
each]), or placebo (n=6-7/ group). Cell therapy was delivered via the patent renal artery of the remnant kidney. RNAsec analysis compared placebo and ACCT groups.
Results:
Mean arterial pressure increased significantly in the placebo- (21.89±6.05 mmHg, p<0.0001) compared to the ACCT-group (p=0.04) at 12 weeks. Glomerular filtration rate improved significantly in the ACCT group (p=0.002). RNAseq analysis revealed a significant decrease in genes normally increased during kidney transplant rejection (q<10
-6
, NES = -2.32) in ACCT. Consistent with these results, there was a downregulation of canonical drivers of tubular damage and regeneration, including SOX9 (-2.39 fold, p=0.0004) and apoptosis of kidney cell types (-24.89 fold, p=0.004), including podocytes (-2.065 fold, p=0.04) with ACCT. ACCT administration also downregulated genes related to oxidative stress (-4.6 fold, p<0.0001), fibrosis, inflammatory response (-4.760 fold, p=<0.05), and renin-angiotensin signaling (-3.162 fold, p=0.024), which are related to cardiac hypertrophy pathways (-7.23, fold, p<0.0001). EDPVR improved in with ACCT (p=0.003), indicating decreased ventricular stiffness. Ejection fraction, relative wall thickness, and left ventricular mass did not differ between groups at 12 weeks.
Conclusion:
Intra-renal artery allogeneic cell therapy was safe. Beneficial effects were observed in the ACCT and MSC groups in the kidney and heart. These findings have important implications on the use of cell therapy for HFpEF and cardiorenal syndrome.
Stem-cell therapy in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with reduced ejection fraction: A multicenter, double-blind randomized trial
