title: Both cultured and freshly isolated adipose tissue-derived stem cells enhance cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed whether freshly isolated human adipose tissue-derived cells (fhADCs) or cultured human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hASCs) have beneficial effects on cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI), whether the injected cells can survive long term, and whether their effects result from direct differentiation or paracrine mechanisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Myocardial infarction was experimentally induced in severe combined immunodeficient mice, and either fhADCs, cultured hASCs, or phosphate-buffered saline was injected into the peri-infarct region. Myocardial function improved significantly in mice treated with hASCs or fhADCs 4 weeks after MI. Immunofluorescence revealed that grafted hASCs and fhADCs underwent cardiomyogenic differentiation pathway, as indicated by expression of connexin 43 and troponin I in a fusion-independent manner. Some of the injected cells integrated with host cardiomyocytes through connexin 43, and others were incorporated into newly formed vessels. Human adipose tissue-derived stem cells survived in injured hearts up to 4 months, as detected by luciferase-based bioluminescence imaging. Vascular density was significantly increased, and fewer apoptotic cells were present in the peri-infarct region of cell-injected mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to systematically compare the effects of fhADCs and hASCs on myocardial regeneration. Both cell types engraft into infarcted myocardium, survive, and improve myocardial function, suggesting that fhADCs, like hASCs, are a promising alternative cell source for myocardial repair after MI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, SCRB2, Unit 951, 7435 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaowen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Yasheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yao-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seidensticker
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rabinovich
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Metzele
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bankson
authors.forename: Daynene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vykoukal
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alt
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D049449:Luminescence; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D012038:Regeneration; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology