Improved Left Ventricular Aneurysm Repair with Cell- and Cytokine-Seeded Collagen Patches

• Main Authors: Hui Qu, Bao-dong Xie, Jian Wu, Bo Lv, Jun-bo Chuai, Jian-zhong Li, Jun Cai, Hua Wu, Shu-lin Jiang, Xiao-ping Leng, Kai Kang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2018-01-01
• Series: Stem Cells International
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4717802

Background. Engineered heart tissues (EHTs) present a promising alternative to current materials for surgical ventricular restoration (SVR); however, the clinical application remains limited by inadequate vascularization postimplantation. Moreover, a suitable and economic animal model for primary screening is another important issue. Methods. Recently, we used 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride chemistry (EDC) to initiate a strengthened, cytokine-conjugated collagenous platform with a controlled degradation speed. In vitro, the biomaterial exhibited an enhanced mechanical strength maintaining a porous ultrastructure, and the constant release of cytokines promoted the proliferation of seeded human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). In vivo, with the hMSC-seeded, cytokine-immobilized patch (MSCs + GF patch), we performed modified SVR for rats with left ventricular aneurysm postmyocardial infarction (MI). Overall, the rats that underwent modified SVR lost less blood and had lower mortality. After 4 weeks, the rats repaired with this cell-seeded, cytokine-immobilized patch presented preserved cardiac function, beneficial morphology, enhanced cell infiltration, and functional vessel formation compared with the cytokine-free (MSC patch), cell-free (GF patch), or blank controls (EDC patch). Furthermore, the degradable period of the collagen patch in vivo extended up to 3 months after EDC treatment. Conclusions. EDC may substantially modify collagen scaffold and provide a promising and practical biomaterial for SVR.