Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Mar-Apr;17(2):124-131.
doi: 10.4103/apc.apc_24_24. Epub 2024 Jul 20.

Regenerating the ailing heart: Stem cell therapies for hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Udit Choubey  1 , Varsha Srinivas  2 , Yash Vardhan Trivedi  3 , Nikita Garg  4 , Vasu Gupta  5 , Rohit Jain  6
Affiliations
Review

Regenerating the ailing heart: Stem cell therapies for hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Udit Choubey et al. Ann Pediatr Cardiol. 2024 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a complex congenital heart defect (CHD) characterized by a spectrum of underdeveloped left-sided cardiac structures. It is a serious defect and warrants either 3-staged surgical palliation or a heart transplant. Despite numerous surgical advancements, long-term outcomes remain challenging and still have significant morbidity and mortality. There have been notable advancements in stem cell therapy for HLHS, including developments in diverse stem cell origins and methods of administration. Clinical trials have shown safety and potential benefits, including improved ventricular function, reduced heart failure, and fewer adverse events. Younger myocardium seems particularly receptive to stem cell signals, suggesting the importance of early intervention. This review explores the potential of emerging stem cell-based therapies as an adjunctive approach to improve the outcomes for HLHS patients.

Keywords: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome; stem-cell therapy; uni-ventricular pathology.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Various hypotheses for hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Figure 2
Figure 2
Types of stem cells and their origin
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mechanism of stem cell therapy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Ohye RG, Schranz D, D’Udekem Y. Current therapy for hypoplastic left heart syndrome and related single ventricle lesions. Circulation. 2016;134:1265–79. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Professional C.C.M. Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). Cleveland Clinic. [[Last accessed on 2024 Jan 17]]. Available from: https://www.my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12214-hypoplastic-lef... .
    1. Sokal R, Tata LJ, Fleming KM. Sex prevalence of major congenital anomalies in the United Kingdom: A national population-based study and international comparison meta-analysis. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2014;100:79–91. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Belmont JW. Considering the genetic architecture of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2022;9:315. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Turunen R, Pulakka A, Metsälä J, Vahlberg T, Ojala T, Gissler M, et al. Maternal diabetes and overweight and congenital heart defects in offspring. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7:e2350579. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources