Abstract 154: Allogeneic Cardiosphere-derived Cells From an Aged Donor Elicit Long-term Improvements in Left Ventricular Function and Myocyte Proliferation in a Mini-swine Model of Chronic Myocardial Ischemia

• Published in: Circulation research 2015-07, Vol.117 (suppl_1)
• Main Authors: Weil, Brian R, Suzuki, Gen, Leiker, Merced M, Goelz, Andrew, Canty, John M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0009-7330; 1524-4571
• DOI: 10.1161/res.117.suppl_1.154

Abstract only Objective: Virtually all large animal studies of cell-based therapy have employed young donor-recipient pairs. Since aging may impact the reparative ability of allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs), we tested whether CDCs from an aged donor promote functional repair of ischemic myocardium using a mini-swine model that enabled serial assessment of left ventricular (LV) function over an extended follow-up period. Methods: Immunosuppressed mini-swine (cyclosporine 100 mg/day) with a chronic (4-months) LAD stenosis were untreated (n=8) or received 20 million allogeneic aged CDCs (n=10). Cells were cultivated from a 9-year old mini-pig and infused into the 3 major coronary arteries under continuous flow (1 million cells/min). LV function was assessed by echocardiography at baseline and over a 3-month follow-up period, at which time histological assessment of myocyte morphometry, proliferation (Ki67), and cell retention (Y-FISH) was performed. Results: Wall thickening (WT) of the ischemic LAD region was impaired at baseline (LAD: 42.7 ± 2.1% vs. Remote: 81.4 ± 4.8%, p