Effects of Heme Oxygenase-1 on c-Kit-Positive Cardiac Cells

Integration of physiological, miRNA-mRNA interaction and functional analysis reveals the molecular mechanism underlying hypoxia stress tolerance in crucian carp (Carassius auratus)

Hypoxia has become one of the most critical factors limiting the development of aquaculture. Crucian carp (Carassius auratus) is widely consumed fish in China, with excellent tolerance to hypoxic environment. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia adaptation and tolerance in crucian carp remain unclear. Compared with the control, increased T-SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, T-AOC, ALT, and AST activities and MDA, TCHO, and TG contents, and decreased TP and ATP contents were observed after hypoxia stress. Based on RNA-seq, 2479 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and 60 DE miRNAs were identified, and numerous DE mRNAs involved in HIF signaling pathway (hif-1α, epo, vegfa, and ho), anaerobic metabolism (hk1/hk2, pfk, gapdh, pk, and ldh) and immune response (nlrp12, cxcr1, cxcr4, ccr9, and cxcl12) were significantly upregulated after hypoxia exposure. Integrated analysis found that ho, igfbp1, hsp70, and hk2 were predicted to be regulated by novel_867, dre-miR-125c-3p/novel_173, dre-miR-181b-5p, and dre-miR-338-5p/dre-miR-17a-3p, respectively, and targets of DE miRNAs were significantly enriched in MAPK signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Expression analysis showed that the mRNA levels of vegfa, epo, ho, hsp70, hsp90aa.1, igfbp1, ldh, hk1, pfk, pk, and gapdh exhibited a remarkable increase, whereas sdh and mdh were downregulated in the H3h, H12h, and H24h groups compared with the control. Furthermore, research found that hk2 is a target of dre-miR-17a-3p, overexpression of dre-miR-17a-3p significantly decreased the expression level of hk2, while the opposite results were obtained after dre-miR-17a-3p silencing. These results contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of hypoxia tolerance in crucian carp.

Stem Cell Therapy for Myocardial Infarction and Heart Failure: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Critical Analysis

In exploring therapeutic options for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure, cell-based cardiac repair has gained prominence. This systematic review delves into the current state of knowledge surrounding cell-based therapies for cardiac repair. Employing a comprehensive search across relevant databases, the study identifies 35 included studies with diverse cell types and methodologies. Encouragingly, these findings reveal the promise of cell-based therapies in cardiac repair, demonstrating significant enhancements in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) across the studies. Mechanisms of action involve growth factors that stimulate angiogenesis, differentiation, and the survival of transplanted cells. Despite these positive outcomes, challenges persist, including low engraftment rates, limitations in cell differentiation, and variations in clinical reproducibility. The optimal dosage and frequency of cell administration remain subjects of debate, with potential benefits from repeated dosing. Additionally, the choice between autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation poses a critical decision. This systematic review underscores the potential of cell-based therapies for cardiac repair, bearing implications for innovative treatments in heart diseases. However, further research is imperative to optimize cell type selection, delivery techniques, and long-term efficacy, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of cell-based cardiac repair.

Targeting the redox system for cardiovascular regeneration in aging

Cardiovascular aging presents a formidable challenge, as the aging process can lead to reduced cardiac function and heightened susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases. Consequently, there is an escalating, unmet medical need for innovative and effective cardiovascular regeneration strategies aimed at restoring and rejuvenating aging cardiovascular tissues. Altered redox homeostasis and the accumulation of oxidative damage play a pivotal role in detrimental changes to stem cell function and cellular senescence, hampering regenerative capacity in aged cardiovascular system. A mounting body of evidence underscores the significance of targeting redox machinery to restore stem cell self-renewal and enhance their differentiation potential into youthful cardiovascular lineages. Hence, the redox machinery holds promise as a target for optimizing cardiovascular regenerative therapies. In this context, we delve into the current understanding of redox homeostasis in regulating stem cell function and reprogramming processes that impact the regenerative potential of the cardiovascular system. Furthermore, we offer insights into the recent translational and clinical implications of redox-targeting compounds aimed at enhancing current regenerative therapies for aging cardiovascular tissues.

The Vascular Niche for Adult Cardiac Progenitor Cells

Research on cardiac progenitor cell populations has generated expectations about their potential for cardiac regeneration capacity after acute myocardial infarction and during physiological aging; however, the endogenous capacity of the adult mammalian heart is limited. The modest efficacy of exogenous cell-based treatments can guide the development of new approaches that, alone or in combination, can be applied to boost clinical efficacy. The identification and manipulation of the adult stem cell environment, termed niche, will be critical for providing new evidence on adult stem cell populations and improving stem-cell-based therapies. Here, we review and discuss the state of our understanding of the interaction of adult cardiac progenitor cells with other cardiac cell populations, with a focus on the description of the B-CPC progenitor population (Bmi1+ cardiac progenitor cell), which is a strong candidate progenitor for all main cardiac cell lineages, both in the steady state and after cardiac damage. The set of all interactions should be able to define the vascular cardiac stem cell niche, which is associated with low oxidative stress domains in vasculature, and whose manipulation would offer new hope in the cardiac regeneration field.