Protective effects of different transplantations of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rat heart of acute myocardial infarction

AIM To study the protective effect of intravenous and via epicardium transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on rat heart of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS AMI was created by occluding the left anterior descending artery (LAD) in SD rats. MSCs acquired from healthy rats were isolated, purified, amplificated and labeled with DAPI. Two weeks after MI, the labeled MSCs were transfused into MI rats through caudal vein (group A, n=10) or via epicardium (group B, n=10) while some culture medium was transfused into the control (group C, n=10) group. Four weeks later, heart functions were evaluated and immunohistochemical analysis was performed. RESULTS The labeled cells were viable in the host hearts and immunochemical staining revealed that the engrafted stem cells expressed α-Actin. Left heart functions and infarct size in group A and group B were more obviously improved compared with those of control group. CONCLUSION Both intravenous and via epicardium transplantation of MSCs can migrate into the infracted areas and have protective effect on the rat heart of AMI.