A promising technique for transplantation of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells into rat heart

• Published in: Cardiovascular pathology Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 127 - 135
• Main Authors: Qian, Cheng, Tio, René A, Roks, Anton J.M, Boddeus, Kristien M, Harmsen, Martin C, van Gilst, Wiek H, Schoemaker, Regien G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Bone Marrow Cells - cytology; Bromodeoxyuridine - metabolism; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - methods; Cell Count; Distribution; Endothelial progenitor cell; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Endothelium, Vascular - transplantation; Heart Ventricles - surgery; Injections, Intramuscular; Intracoronary administration; Kidney - cytology; Liver - cytology; Lung - cytology; Male; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Pathology; Rat heart; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Spleen - cytology; Stem Cell Transplantation - methods; Tissue Distribution; Transplantation; Transplantation; Endothelial progenitor cell; Intracoronary administration; Distribution; Rat heart
• ISSN: 1054-8807; 1879-1336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carpath.2006.11.008

Abstract Objective To investigate the feasibility of intracoronary application of endothelial progenitor cells and the subsequent distribution within the heart. Methods Endothelial progenitors cells (EPCs) cultured from rat bone marrow were identified by double-positive staining with Dil-Ac-LDL and BS1-lectin. Twenty-four hours before cell transplantation, EPCs were labeled with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Cells (5×105 in 250-μl medium) were injected into healthy rats, either as intracoronary application ( n =11) or as intramyocardial injection ( n =6). At 15 min or 3 days posttransplantation, hearts as well as other organs (lung, liver, kidney, and spleen) were collected and processed for subsequent BrdU immunohistochemistry. The number of BrdU-positive cells per tissue area was counted. Results Compared to intramyocardial injection, intracoronary administration resulted in more than twice as much positive cells in the heart ( P <.05), with no local differences within the heart. Whereas after 15 min, EPCs were equally distributed in all examined organs (except for the spleen), cells that were still present after 3 days, approximately 10%, were selectively restricted to the heart. Conclusions Our data indicate that the intracoronary application provides a promising technique for EPC transplantation in the rat heart.