Effects of 5-azacytidine-treated ventricular fibroblasts transplantation on cardiac function following myocardial infarction in rats

Objective:To study the effects of 5-azacytidine-treated ventricular fibroblasts transplantation on cardiac function following myocardial infarction in rats. Methods:Ventricular fibroblasts were obtained from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats,culture-expanded to third passage,treated with 5-azacytidine in 10 μmol/L concentration. Twenty Sprague-Dawley adult rats were randomly divided into treatment and control group. Acute myocardial infarction models were established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. The cells were implanted into infarcted myocardium and nearby tissue in the treatment group and only medium was infused in the control groups 2 weeks later. Two-dimensional echocardiography and MPA cardiac function analysis system were used to evaluate the cardiac function 2 and 4 weeks after coronary occlusion. Results:Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed that there was significant decrease in left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVDs),left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV),minimal left ventricular pressure (Pmin) and left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) after transplantation. There was significant increase in stroke volume (SV),fraction shorting (FS),left ventricular ejection fraction (EF),maximal left ventricular pressure (Pmax),maximal descending derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dtmax) and its corresponding left ventricular pressure (P@dP/dtmax),maximal descending derivative of left ventricular pressure (-dP/dtmax) and its corresponding left ventricular pressure (P@-dP/dtmax) in treatment group. Significant differences were also found in LVDs,LVESV,SV,FS,EF,Pmax,P@dP/dtmax,dP/dtmax ,LVEDP,P@-dP/dtmax and -dP/dtmax between two groups after transplantation. Conclusion:Transplantation of 5-azacytidine-treated ventricular fibroblasts improves both left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in the infarcted heart.