Alignment of inducible vascular progenitor cells on a micro-bundle scaffold improves cardiac repair following myocardial infarction

• Published in: Basic research in cardiology 2017-07, Vol.112 (4), p.41-41, Article 41
• Main Authors: Jamaiyar, Anurag, Wan, Weiguo, Ohanyan, Vahagn, Enrick, Molly, Janota, Danielle, Cumpston, Devan, Song, Hokyung, Stevanov, Kelly, Kolz, Christopher L., Hakobyan, Tatev, Dong, Feng, Newby, Bi-min Zhang, Chilian, William M., Yin, Liya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alignment; Angiogenesis; Animals; Assaying; Blood vessels; Bundles; Bundling; Cardiology; Cardiomyocytes; Cardiovascular disease; Cell culture; Cell Differentiation; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Cells (biology); Cells, Cultured; Coculture Techniques; Coronary artery disease; Cytokines; Death; Disease Models, Animal; Echocardiography; Endothelial cells; Endothelial Progenitor Cells - metabolism; Endothelial Progenitor Cells - transplantation; Engraftment; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Fibroblast growth factor 2; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - metabolism; Glycolic acid; Growth factors; Heart; Heart attacks; Heart diseases; Hypoxia; Ischemia; Lactic Acid - chemistry; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - metabolism; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - transplantation; Myocardial infarction; Myocardial Infarction - metabolism; Myocardial Infarction - pathology; Myocardial Infarction - physiopathology; Myocardial Infarction - surgery; Myocardium; Myocardium - metabolism; Myocardium - pathology; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - metabolism; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle - transplantation; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Original Contribution; Paracrine Communication; Phenotype; Polyglycolic Acid - chemistry; Polymers; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Regeneration; Rodents; Scaffolds; Signal Transduction; Smooth muscle; Stem cells; Surgery; Survival; Therapy; Time Factors; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; Vascularization; Ventricular Remodeling
• ISSN: 0300-8428; 1435-1803
• DOI: 10.1007/s00395-017-0631-4

Ischemic heart disease is still the leading cause of death even with the advancement of pharmaceutical therapies and surgical procedures. Early vascularization in the ischemic heart is critical for a better outcome. Although stem cell therapy has great potential for cardiovascular regeneration, the ideal cell type and delivery method of cells have not been resolved. We tested a new approach of stem cell therapy by delivery of induced vascular progenitor cells (iVPCs) grown on polymer micro-bundle scaffolds in a rat model of myocardial infarction. iVPCs partially reprogrammed from vascular endothelial cells (ECs) had potent angiogenic potential and were able to simultaneously differentiate into vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and ECs in 2D culture. Under hypoxic conditions, iVPCs also secreted angiogenic cytokines such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A longitudinal micro-scaffold made from poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) was sufficient for the growth and delivery of iVPCs. Co-cultured ECs and SMCs aligned well on the micro-bundle scaffold similarly as in the vessels. 3D cell/polymer micro-bundles formed by iVPCs and micro-scaffolds were transplanted into the ischemic myocardium in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI) with ligation of the left anterior descending artery. Our in vivo data showed that iVPCs on the micro-bundle scaffold had higher survival, and better retention and engraftment in the myocardium than free iVPCs. iVPCs on the micro-bundles promoted better cardiomyocyte survival than free iVPCs. Moreover, iVPCs and iVPC/polymer micro-bundles treatment improved cardiac function (ejection fraction and fractional shortening, endocardial systolic volume) measured by echocardiography, increased vessel density, and decreased infarction size [endocardial and epicardial infarct (scar) length] better than untreated controls at 8 weeks after MI. We conclude that iVPCs grown on a polymer micro-bundle scaffold are new promising approach for cell-based therapy designed for cardiovascular regeneration in ischemic heart disease.