The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells for cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are derived from a wide range of sources and easily isolated and cultured. MSCs have the capacity for in vitro amplification and self-renewal, low immunogenicity and immunomodulatory properties, and under certain conditions, MSCs can be differentiated into a variety of cells. In the cardiovascular system, MSCs can protect the myocardium by reducing the level of inflammation, promoting the differentiation of myocardial cells around infarct areas and angiogenesis, increasing apoptosis resistance, and inhibiting fibrosis, which are ideal qualities for cardiovascular repair. Preclinical studies have shown that MSCs can be transplanted and improve cardiac repair, but challenges, such as their low rate of migration to the ischemic myocardium, low tissue retention, and low survival rate after transplantation, remain. This article reviews the potential and methods of MSC transplantation in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and the challenges of the clinical use of MSCs.

Fig. 1. MSCs remedy cardiovascular disease through inflammatory regulation, anti-fibrosis, neovascularization and differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like cells.

MI, myocardial infarction; CM, cardiomyocyte.

Fig. 2. Strategies used to enhance the therapeutic effects of MSCs in cardiovascular diseases.

3D culture, patch including MSCs, precondition with hypoxic or molecules, gene modification, and injected together with virus overexpressing specific genes/shRNA or small molecules have been used to enhance therapeutic effects of MSCs.

Fig. 3. Cellular effect and ways of MSCs therapy in cardiovascular disease through inflammatory regelation.

Mo, monocyte; Ma, macrophage; M1; subtype I of macrophage; M2; subtype II of macrophage; T, T cells; Treg, regulatory T cell; NK, natural killer cell; MCP-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; IgG, immunoglobulin G; IgM, immunoglobulin M; NKp30, natural killer cell protein 30.