title: Administration of cells with thermosensitive hydrogel enhances the functional recovery in ischemic rat heart.
abstract: The lack of cell retention clearly represents a potentially serious limitation for therapeutic efficacy of stem cells. To enhance the efficacy, we developed a novel hydrogel that is thermosensitive and biodegradable and possesses desirable stiffness in a solid form. Immediately after induction of myocardial infarction of male rat, cardiac outgrowth cells embedded in hydrogel (HG) or saline (CO) were injected directly into the peri-infarct area. Left ventricular ejection fraction, cell retention rate, and a spectrum of biochemical markers were measured to evaluate the effect of the treatment. Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher in the cell-injected groups (HG and CO) than in the control group at 1 week after treatment. This functional benefit was continued only in the HG group, accompanied with more retained cells. Furthermore, the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 was significantly higher in the HG group with less progression of cell apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Forrester
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Zhengqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amano
keywords: Insulin-like growth factor-1; micro-computed tomography; paracrine effect; retention rate; stiffness