Colony-stimulating factor-1 transfection of myoblasts improves the repair of failing myocardium following autologous myoblast transplantation

Seyedhossein Aharinejad, Dietmar Abraham, Patrick Paulus, Karin Zins, Michael Hofmann, Wolfgang Michlits, Mariann Gyöngyösi, Karin Macfelda, Trevor Lucas, Karola Trescher, Michael Grimm, E. Richard Stanley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aims: Skeletal myoblasts are used in repair of ischaemic myocardium. However, a large fraction of grafted myoblasts degenerate upon engraftment. Colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) accelerates myoblast proliferation and angiogenesis. We hypothesized that CSF-1 overexpression improves myoblast survival and cardiac function in ischaemia-induced heart failure. Methods and results: Three weeks following myocardial infarction, rats developed heart failure and received intramyocardial injections of mouse CSF-1-transfected or untransfected primary autologous rat myoblasts, recombinant human CSF-1, mouse CSF-1 expressing plasmids, or culture medium. Tissue gene and protein expression was measured by quantitative RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and western blotting. Fluorescence imaging and immunocytochemistry were used to analyse myoblasts, endothelial cells, macrophages, and infarct wall thickening. Electrocardiograms were recorded online using a telemetry system. Left ventricular function was assessed by echocardiography over time, and improved significantly only in the CSF-1-overexpressing myoblast group. CSF-1-overexpression enhanced myoblast numbers and was associated with an increased infarct wall thickness, enhanced angiogenesis, increased macrophage recruitment and upregulated matrix metalloproteases (MMP)-2 and -12 in the zone bordering the infarction. Transplantation of CSF-1-overexpressing myoblasts did not result in major arrhythmias. Conclusion: Autologous intramyocardial transplantation of CSF-1 overexpressing myoblasts might be a novel strategy in the treatment of ischaemia-induced heart failure.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)395-404
Number of pages10
JournalCardiovascular research
Volume79
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2008

Keywords

  • Gene therapy
  • Growth factor
  • Heart failure
  • Myoblasts

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Physiology (medical)

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