Effects of combination of proliferative agents and erythropoietin on left ventricular remodeling post-myocardial infarction

Recombinant human erythropoietin increases cerebral cortical width index and neurogenesis following ischemic stroke

The cerebral cortical expansion index refers to the ratio between left and right cortex width and is recognized as an indicator for cortical hyperplasia. Cerebral ischemia was established in CB-17 mice in the present study, and the mice were subsequently treated with recombinant human erythropoietin via subcutaneous injection. Results demonstrated that cerebral cortical width index significantly increased. Immunofluorescence detection showed that the number of nuclear antigen antibody/5-bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells at the infarction edge significantly increased. Correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between neurological scores and cortical width indices in rats following ischemic stroke. These experimental findings suggested that recombinant human erythropoietin promoted cerebral cortical hyperplasia, increased cortical neurogenesis, and enhanced functional recovery following ischemic stroke.

Recruitment and retention of human autologous CD34+ CD117+ CD133+ bone marrow stem cells to infarcted myocardium followed by directed vasculogenesis: Novel strategy for cardiac regeneration

BACKGROUND

Ongoing clinical trials, in regenerative therapy of patients suffering from myocardial infarctions, rely primarily upon administration of bone marrow stem cells to the infarcted zones. Unfortunately, low retention of these cells, to the therapeutic delivery sites, reduces effectiveness of this strategy; thus it has been identified as the most critical problem for advancement of cardiac regenerative medicine.

SPECIFIC AIMS

The specific aim of this work was three-fold: (1) to isolate highly viable populations of human, autologous CD34+, CD117+, and CD133+ bone marrow stem cells; (2) to bioengineer heterospecific, tetravalent antibodies and to use them for recruiting of the stem cells to regenerated zones of infarcted myocardium; (3) to direct vasculogenesis of the retained stem cells with the defined factors.

PATIENTS METHODS

Cardiac tissue was biopsied from the hearts of the patients, who were receiving orthotopic heart transplants after multiple cardiac infarctions. This tissue was used to engineer fully human in vitro models of infarcted myocardium. Bone marrow was acquired from these patients. The marrow cells were sorted into populations of cells displaying CD34, CD117, and CD133. Heterospecific, tetravalent antibodies were bioengineered to bridge CD34, CD117, CD133 displayed on the stem cells with cardiac myosin of the infarcted myocardium. The sorted stem cells were administered to the infarcted myocardium in the in vitro models.

RESULTS

Administration of the bioengineered, heterospecific antibodies preceding administration of the stem cells greatly improved the stem cells' recruitment and retention to the infarcted myocardium. Treatment of the retained stem cells with vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin efficiently directed their differentiation into endothelial cells, which expressed vascular endothelial cadherin, platelet / endothelial cell adhesion molecule, claudin, and occludin, while forming tight and adherens junctions.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel strategy improved retention of the patients' autologous bone marrow stem cells to the infarcted myocardium followed by directed vasculogenesis. Therefore, it is worth pursuing it in support of the ongoing clinical trials of cardiac regenerative therapy.

Recruitment and retention of human autologous CD34+ CD117+ CD133+ bone marrow stem cells to infarcted myocardium followed by directed vasculogenesis: Novel strategy for cardiac regeneration

Background

Ongoing clinical trials, in regenerative therapy of patients suffering from myocardial infarctions, rely primarily upon administration of bone marrow stem cells to the infarcted zones. Unfortunately, low retention of these cells, to the therapeutic delivery sites, reduces effectiveness of this strategy; thus it has been identified as the most critical problem for advancement of cardiac regenerative medicine.

Specific aims

The specific aim of this work was three-fold: (1) to isolate highly viable populations of human, autologous CD34+, CD117+, and CD133+ bone marrow stem cells; (2) to bioengineer heterospecific, tetravalent antibodies and to use them for recruiting of the stem cells to regenerated zones of infarcted myocardium; (3) to direct vasculogenesis of the retained stem cells with the defined factors.

Patients methods

Cardiac tissue was biopsied from the hearts of the patients, who were receiving orthotopic heart transplants after multiple cardiac infarctions. This tissue was used to engineer fully human in vitro models of infarcted myocardium. Bone marrow was acquired from these patients. The marrow cells were sorted into populations of cells displaying CD34, CD117, and CD133. Heterospecific, tetravalent antibodies were bioengineered to bridge CD34, CD117, CD133 displayed on the stem cells with cardiac myosin of the infarcted myocardium. The sorted stem cells were administered to the infarcted myocardium in the in vitro models.

Results

Administration of the bioengineered, heterospecific antibodies preceding administration of the stem cells greatly improved the stem cells’ recruitment and retention to the infarcted myocardium. Treatment of the retained stem cells with vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin efficiently directed their differentiation into endothelial cells, which expressed vascular endothelial cadherin, platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule, claudin, and occludin, while forming tight and adherens junctions.

Conclusions

This novel strategy improved retention of the patients’ autologous bone marrow cells to the infarcted myocardium followed by directed vasculogenesis. Therefore, it is worth pursuing it in support of the ongoing clinical trials of cardiac regenerative therapy.

Pharmacologic and genetic strategies to enhance cell therapy for cardiac regeneration

Cell-based therapy is emerging as an exciting potential therapeutic approach for cardiac regeneration following myocardial infarction (MI). As heart failure (HF) prevalence increases over time, development of new interventions designed to aid cardiac recovery from injury are crucial and should be considered more broadly. In this regard, substantial efforts to enhance the efficacy and safety of cell therapy are continuously growing along several fronts, including modifications to improve the reprogramming efficiency of inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPS), genetic engineering of adult stem cells, and administration of growth factors or small molecules to activate regenerative pathways in the injured heart. These interventions are emerging as potential therapeutic alternatives and/or adjuncts based on their potential to promote stem cell homing, proliferation, differentiation, and/or survival. Given the promise of therapeutic interventions to enhance the regenerative capacity of multipotent stem cells as well as specifically guide endogenous or exogenous stem cells into a cardiac lineage, their application in cardiac regenerative medicine should be the focus of future clinical research. This article is part of a special issue entitled "Key Signaling Molecules in Hypertrophy and Heart Failure."