title: Injured cardiomyocytes promote dental pulp mesenchymal stem cell homing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The heart is unable to regenerate its tissues after severe injuries. Stem cell therapy appears to be one of the most promising approaches, though preclinical results are hitherto contradictory and clinical trials scanty and/or limited to phase-I. The limited knowledge about stem cell early homing in infarcted cardiac tissues can concur to this scenario.
  
  
  METHODS
  The stem cell migration was assessed in in-vitro and ex-vivo models of heart ischemia, employing a rat dental pulp stem cell line (MUR-1) that shares the same ontogenic progenitors with portions of the heart, expresses markers typical of cardiac/vascular-like progenitors and is able to differentiate into cardiomyocytes in-vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we demonstrated that the MUR-1 can reach the injured cells/tissue and make contacts with the damaged cardiomyocytes, likely through Connexin 43, N-cadherin and von Willebrand Factor mediated cell-cell interactions, both in in-vitro and ex-vivo models. Furthermore, we found that SDF-1, FGF-2 and HGF, but not VEGF are involved as chemotactic factors in MUR-1 migration, notifying a similarity with neural crest cell behavior during the organogenesis of both the splanchnocranium and the heart.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Herein we found a similarity between what happens during the heart organogenesis and the early migration and homing of MUR-1 cells in ischemic models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The comprehension of molecular aspects underlying the early phases of stem cell migration and interaction with damaged organ contributes to the future achievement of the coveted stem cell-mediated organ regeneration and function preservation in-vivo.
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Scipio
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sprio
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Folino
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Carere
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salamone
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Odontostomatology Division, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berrone
authors.affiliation: Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Department of Health Sciences, 28100 Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Neuroscience, Physiology Division, 10125 Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losano
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy; National Institute of Cardiovascular Research (INRC), 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rastaldo
authors.affiliation: University of Turin, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, 10043 Orbassano, Turin, Italy; National Institute of Cardiovascular Research (INRC), 40126 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: giovanni.berta@unito.it.
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Berta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D012038:Regeneration
keywords: Cardiac ischemia; Cell migration; Dental pulp stem cell; Hypoxic cardiomyocyte