Reduced collagen deposition in infarcted myocardium facilitates induced pluripotent stem cell engraftment and angiomyogenesis for improvement of left ventricular function.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of scar tissue composition on engraftment of progenitor cells into infarcted myocardium.

BACKGROUND: Scar tissue formation after myocardial infarction creates a barrier that severely compromises tissue regeneration, limiting potential functional recovery.

METHODS: In vitro: A tricell patch (Tri-P) was created from peritoneum seeded and cultured with induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The expression of fibrosis-related molecules from mouse embryonic fibroblasts and infarcted heart was measured by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. In vivo: A Tri-P was affixed over the entire infarcted area 7 days after myocardial infarction in mice overexpressing adenylyl cyclase 6 (AC6). Engraftment efficiency of progenitor cells in hearts of AC6 mice was compared with that of control wild-type (WT) mice using a combination of in vivo bioluminescence imaging, post-mortem ex vivo tissue analysis, and the number of green fluorescent protein-positive cells. Echocardiography of left ventricular (LV) function was performed weekly. Hearts were harvested for analysis 4 weeks after Tri-P application. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts were stimulated with forskolin before an anoxia/reoxygenation protocol. Fibrosis-related molecules were analyzed.

RESULTS: In AC6 mice, infarcted hearts treated with Tri-P showed significantly higher bioluminescence imaging intensity and numbers of green fluorescent protein-positive cells than in WT mice. LV function improved progressively in AC6 mice from weeks 2 to 4 and was associated with reduced LV fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS: Application of a Tri-P in AC6 mice resulted in significantly higher induced pluripotent stem cell engraftment accompanied by angiomyogenesis in the infarcted area and improvement in LV function.