Cardiovascular cell therapy and endogenous repair

• Published in: Diabetes, obesity & metabolism obesity & metabolism, 2008-11, Vol.10 (s4), p.5-15
• Main Authors: Taylor, D.A, Zenovich, A.G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acute myocardial infarction; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; bioartificial; cell therapy; Cell Transplantation - methods; Cell Transplantation - trends; Coronary Artery Disease - mortality; Coronary Artery Disease - physiopathology; Coronary Artery Disease - therapy; endogenous repair; Female; heart failure; Heart Failure - mortality; Heart Failure - physiopathology; Heart Failure - therapy; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - mortality; Myocardial Infarction - physiopathology; Myocardial Infarction - therapy; Neovascularization, Physiologic - physiology; stem cells; United States; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology; Ventricular Remodeling - physiology
• ISSN: 1462-8902; 1463-1326
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2008.00937.x

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) exceeds infection and cancer as the leading cause of death. In the USA alone, approximately a million individuals suffer an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) annually. As the prevalence of CVD risk factors (e.g. hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes) rises, CVD is increasing in younger individuals. Fortunately, existing therapies have improved post-AMI mortality, but in turn have increased the prevalence of post-AMI heart failure (HF). Approximately half-a-million new HF cases are diagnosed each year in the USA. In the next 25 years, up to 15% of the population over the age of 65 in the USA is projected to have HF. Therapeutic interventions that prevent/reverse atherosclerosis, prevent post-AMI HF and halt the progressive functional deterioration once HF occurs are all needed. Cell therapy - either via exogenous delivery or by endogenous mobilization of cells - may be able to do so, in part, by improving the body's capacity for repair. To date, primarily bone marrow- or blood-derived cells have been utilized after AMI to prevent left ventricular dysfunction, and skeletal myoblasts have been transplanted into failing myocardium. Preclinical studies are directed at prevention/reversal of atherosclerosis with bone marrow precursors, and ultimately at replacing failing heart with a cell-based bioartificial construct.