Cell transplantation for myocardial injury: a preliminary comparative study.
OBJECTIVE
Cell transplantation may restore viable muscle after myocardial infarction. Because many studies have focused on one cell type, we compared the characteristics of skeletal myoblasts (SKM), bone marrow stromal/stem cells (BMSC) and smooth muscle cells (SMC) and their effects on cardiac function after myocardial injury.


METHODS
In vitro cell characteristics, including proliferation, hypoxic survival and vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) expression, of SKM, BMSC and SMC were compared. An in vivo left anterior descending artery ligation rat model was used, and cells were implanted into the infarct (n = 16 per cell type). Cell survival was determined by PKH26 staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cardiac function, tissue VEGF and stem cell factor (SCF) expression and vasculogenesis were evaluated.


RESULTS
Although cell morphologies were distinct, in vitro proliferation was similar. In vitro studies showed that SKM had the highest hypoxic survival, whereas BMSC had the lowest hypoxic survival but the highest VEGF expression. After implantation, SKM showed the highest overall survival and in vivo SCF expression, and both SMC and SKM expressed the highest VEGF levels. Vasculogenesis was significantly (P < 0.001) improved after transplantation of each cell type. Overall, BMSC and SKM promoted the greatest improvement in cardiac function.


CONCLUSIONS
SKM, BMSC and SMC expressed VEGF and SCF and promoted vasculogenesis. Although BMSC showed the greatest regenerative potential relative to cell survival and growth factor expression, the greatest improvement in cardiac function was observed with BMSC and SKM.
Kan
Chung-Dann
CD
Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Lee
Hsin-Ling
HL
Yang
Yu-Jen
YJ
D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D032448:Myoblasts, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A