title: The similar effect of transplantation of marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells with or without prior differentiation induction in experimental myocardial infarction.
abstract: Marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been heralded as a source of great promise for the regeneration of the infarcted heart. There is no clear data indicating whether or not in vitro differentiation of MSCs into major myocardial cells can increase the beneficial effects of MSCs. The aim of this study is to address this issue. To induce MSCs to transdifferentiate into cardiomyocyte-like and endothelial-like cells, 5-azacytidine and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were used, respectively. Myocardial infarction in rabbits was generated by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. Animals were divided into three experimental groups: I, control group; II, undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cell transplantation group; III, differentiated mesenchymal stem cell transplantation group; which respectively received peri-infarct injections of culture media, autologous undifferentiated MSCs and autologous differentiated MSCs. General pathology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and echocardiography were performed in order to search for myocardial regeneration and improvement of cardiac function. In Groups II and III, implanted cells transdifferentiate into myocardial cells within 28 days post injection in a similar manner, and well-developed ultra structures formed within transplanted cells. Improvements in left ventricular function and reductions in infarcted area were observed in both cell-transplanted groups to the same degree. Vascular density was similar in Groups II and III and significantly higher in these groups compared with the control group. There is no need for prior differentiation induction of marrow-derived MSCs before transplantation and peri-infarct implantation of MSCs can efficiently regenerate the infarcted myocardium and improve cardiac function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mahdi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nassiri
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khaki
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soleimani
authors.forename: Seyed Hossein
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: Issa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jahanzad
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rabbani
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahebjam
authors.forename: Farid Azmoudeh
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Ardalan
authors.forename: Mahmood Sheikh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fathollahi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration