Background:
Recently, human multipotent adipose-derived stem cells (hMADSs) have been isolated featuring extensive expansion capacity ex vivo. However, little is known about the therapeutic efficacy of hMADS in ischemic heart diseases. We tested the hypothesis that hMADS transplantation may contribute to cardiac functional recovery following myocardial infarction (MI).
Methods and Results:
Nude rats were either transplanted with hMADSs (5x10
5
/rat, n=10) or PBS (control, n=9) in ischemic myocardium immediately following MI induction. The cardiac function, infarct size and capillary density in the peri-infarct area were evaluated by echocardiography and immunostaining 28 days after surgery. The cardiac function was significantly greater with increased capillary density and reduced fibrosis area in the hMADS group than that in the control group. Next, we examined tissue regeneration in the infarct heart by the transplanted hMADSs. However, remarkable differentiation of hMADSs into any cardiac cell lineages was not detected. To explore another mechanism for the favorable effect of hMADSs, we further examined mRNA expression of cytokines in hMADSs under hypoxic conditions. Although hypoxia decreased the expressions, robust VEGF, bFGF, and SDF-1α expressions were detected in hMADSs. Notably, the stem/progenitor chemokine SDF-1α expression in hMADSs was significantly greater than that in human mesenchymal stem cells that are well known to have a therapeutic effect on ischemic heart diseases. We then focused on SDF-1α /CXCR4 axis and examined the contribution of bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), that have CXCR4 receptor for SDF-1v, to ischemic myocardium using a Tie2/LacZ BM transplantation nude mouse model. β-gal positive EPCs are frequently observed in ischemic myocardium in the hMADS group compared to the control group.
Conclusion:
hMADSs exhibit a therapeutic effect on cardiac function following MI with the production of VEGF, bFGF, and SDF-1α demonstrating paracrine effects rather than direct contribution to cardiac regeneration. These findings suggest that transplanted hMADSs and recruited EPCs may synergistically promote angiogenesis playing a role in ischemic myocardium.
Transplantation of autologous adipose-derived stem cells ameliorates cardiac function in rabbits with myocardial infarction
