Transplantation of human undifferentiated embryonic stem cells into a myocardial infarction rat model.
Human embryonic stem (hES) cells hold great therapeutic potential for cell transplantation. To date, it remains uncertain whether undifferentiated hES cells can differentiate into cardiac lineage in vivo during myocardial infarction. Here we provide the first report that undifferentiated hES cells can survive in rat hearts during myocardial infarction without the formation of teratoma using undifferentiated green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic hES cells. Using a laser-capture microscope to dissect the GFP-positive cell area from the hES-injected hearts, we documented the expression of human cardiac-specific genes, including GATA-4, Nkx-2.5, and cardiac troponin I. Taken together, our results demonstrate that undifferentiated hES cells can be driven to the cardiac lineage under the local injured environment in the heart, which may provide a potential method for regenerating de novo myocardium to treat myocardial infarction.
Xie
Chang-Qing
CQ
Cardiovascular Research Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
Zhang
Jifeng
J
Xiao
Yan
Y
Zhang
Li
L
Mou
Yongshan
Y
Liu
Xiaowei
X
Akinbami
Mukaila
M
Cui
Taixing
T
Chen
Yuqing E
YE
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D000072576:Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.5; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D019076:Transgenes; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D019210:Troponin I / Q000235:genetics
D050991:GATA4 Transcription Factor; C484170:GATA4 protein, human; D000072576:Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.5; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C095552:NKX2-5 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D019210:Troponin I; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins