The beneficial effects originally attributed to the ability of bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) to differentiate into cardiomyocytes have been questioned due to the transient presence of donor cells at injury site following myocardial infarction (MI) suggesting that the MSC-induced improvement in hemodynamic function may be attributable to paracrine effects. We showed that S100A6, a 20 kDa EF-hand calcium-binding dimer, is upregulated and secreted following MI and forced expression post-MI was beneficial to the preservation of cardiac function. The aim of this study was to determine whether the beneficial effects of infused BM-MSCs may be related to the autocrine secretion of S100A6. Balb/c murine cultured green fluorescence protein (GFP)-marked BM-MSCs express S100A6 at baseline and in response to hypoxia (5%C02/95% N2) for 1 hr increase S100A6 mRNA and protein (2-3 fold, and release S100A6 (1 nM) in the culture media, responses inhibited in BM-MSCs transfected with S100A6 siRNA. Treatment of neonatal Balb/c cardiac myocytes with human recombinant S100A6 (1nM) for 1-24 hrs attenuated baseline apoptosis (30 per cent decrease in BAX/BCL2 ratio), induced cyclin-dependent kinase 1(CDK1) mRNA 1.5 fold, miR199a 2 fold and myocyte proliferation 2.5 fold, the latter inhibited by anti-miR 199a. In 12 week old Balb/c mice, saline or GFP-marked BM-MSCs transfected with either a scrambled or S100A6 siRNA were infused intravenously 3-4 hrs post coronary artery ligation. After 3-4 days the GFP-marked cells were confined to ischemic areas and represented approximately 10% of total cellularity and co-expressed collagen type IV and myosin heavy chain, characteristic of MSCs and cardiomyocytes, respectively, and were CD45(-). Despite the absence of donor cells in the infarcted myocardium 21 days after infusion, mice that have received MSCs alone compared to MSCs transfected with an S100A6 siRNA or saline alone showed a 6-fold increase in S100A6 mRNA and protein, 3-fold increase in miR199a in peri-infarcted myocardium, attenuated myocyte hypertrophy, decreased fibrosis and apoptosis, and preservation of cardiac function. In conclusion, the secretion of S100A6 by infused BM-MSCs may contribute in limiting adverse LV remodeling post-MI.
Multipotent human stromal cells improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction in mice without long-term engraftment
