Autologous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and neovascularization repair infarcted myocardium:an experimental study

Objectives To investigate the feasibility that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) differentiate into cardiomyocytes in ischemic myocardium microenvironment and improve heart function. Methods The left anterodecending arteries (LAD) of adult rabbits were ligated so as to establish animal models of acute myocardial infarction. Animals were randomly divided into 2 groups. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from bone marrow and were cultured. 2 weeks later the expanded MSCs labeled with BrdU were injected into the scar tissue. The heart function of each rabbit was measured by echocardiography and hemodynamics. Specimens were taken 4 weeks after implantation. Histologic sections of left ventricular were stained by immunofluorescent and examined under fluorescent microscope to identify the transplanted MSCs and factor Ⅷ + endothelial cells. Capillary density was expressed as factor Ⅷ + endothelial cells per high power field. Results The implanted cells were found in the MSCs groups and not in the control group. The capillary density of MSCs group was bigger than that of control group ( P 0 05). Compared with control group, 4 weeks after transplantation MSCs group resulted in shorter LVESD ( P 0 01), LVEDD ( P 0 05) and higher EF ( P 0 01). Conclusions Autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into cardiomyocytes in vivo and maybe form new vasculars to repair infarcted myocardium and improve the heart function. Bone marrow MSCs transplantation can use to therapy acute myocardial infarction.