title: The influence of cardiovascular risk factors on bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cell fitness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the past, cell transplantation strategies for the treatment of heart failure have shown promising results in experimental and clinical studies. Bone marrow (BM)-derived stem cells represent the most frequently used cell population. Within this heterogeneous cell population, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been identified to induce therapeutic effects, mainly through paracrine mechanisms. Because of their low frequency in native tissues, in vitro cell culture expansion is mandatory prior to transplantation. We sought to identify patient-specific cardiovascular risk factors influencing the proliferative potential of MSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  BM aspirates from 51 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were analyzed for MSC frequency and cell culture expansion potential. Fibroblastic colony-forming units (CFU-F) were quantified for culture conditions applying autologous (AS) or fetal bovine serum (FBS) and different basic media. Univariate and multivariate analyzes were performed in order to determine the impact of patient-specific factors on CFU-F numbers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expanded MSC showed a specific immune phenotype and displayed adipogenic, chondrogeneic and osteogeneic differentiation potential. CFU-F numbers did not differ under AS or FBS supplementation. Elevated numbers of mononuclear cells, diabetes mellitus, steroid treatment, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal failure, high euroSCORE and impaired left ventricular function were significant determinants for higher CFU-F numbers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The impact of specific cardiovascular risk factors on MSC fitness could be determined. These results may help to establish patient profiling in order to identify patients suitable for autologous MSC transplantation, and might lead to the identification of disease-related mechanisms of stem cell activation.
authors.affiliation: Heart Center of the University of Cologne, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Neef
authors.forename: Yeong-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weichel
authors.forename: Parwis Baradaran
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Rahmanian
authors.forename: Oliver Joannis
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Liakopoulos
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stamm
authors.forename: Claudia Yeong-Un
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Claudius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacobshagen
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wittwer
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wahlers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D010641:Phenotype; D012307:Risk Factors; D013234:Stem Cells; D013249:Sternum / Q000473:pathology