Human adipose stem cell and ASC-derived cardiac progenitor cellular therapy improves outcomes in a murine model of myocardial infarction

Abstract

Philip MC Davy,1 Kevin D Lye,2,3 Juanita Mathews,1 Jesse B Owens,1 Alice Y Chow,1 Livingston Wong,2 Stefan Moisyadi,1 Richard C Allsopp1 1Institute for Biogenesis Research, 2John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, 3Tissue Genesis, Inc., Honolulu, HI, USA Background: Adipose tissue is an abundant and potent source of adult stem cells for transplant therapy. In this study, we present our findings on the potential application of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) as well as induced cardiac-like progenitors (iCPs) derived from ASCs for the treatment of myocardial infarction. Methods and results: Human bone marrow (BM)-derived stem cells, ASCs, and iCPs generated from ASCs using three defined cardiac lineage transcription factors were assessed in an immune-compromised mouse myocardial infarction model. Analysis of iCP prior to transplant confirmed changes in gene and protein expression consistent with a cardiac phenotype. Endpoint analysis was performed 1 month posttransplant. Significantly increased endpoint fractional shortening, as well as reduction in the infarct area at risk, was observed in recipients of iCPs as compared to the other recipient cohorts. Both recipients of iCPs and ASCs presented higher myocardial capillary densities than either recipients of BM-derived stem cells or the control cohort. Furthermore, mice receiving iCPs had a significantly higher cardiac retention of transplanted cells than all other groups. Conclusion: Overall, iCPs generated from ASCs outperform BM-derived stem cells and ASCs in facilitating recovery from induced myocardial infarction in mice. Keywords: adipose stem cells, myocardial infarction, cellular reprogramming, cellular therapy, piggyBac, induced cardiac-like progenitors