[Using cytokines to stimulate neoangiogenesis and cardiac regeneration]

Data published on the use of cytokines for the stimulation of neoangiogenesis and cardiac regeneration have been systematized. There is evidence that insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) can stimulate proliferation of cardiomyocytes; hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) does not influence the mitosis of cardiac cells, but prevents post-infarction remodeling of heart; vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) stimulates proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro and neovasculogenesis in the ischemic heart in vivo for both animals and humans; fibroblast growth factor (FGF) can also induce neovasculogenesis in the ischemic heart; granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) can mobilize stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells in bone marrow, which are involved in neoangiogenesis and cardiac regeneration; erythropoietin can mobilize endothelial progenitor cells from bone marrow and induce neovascularization of ischemic tissue in vivo. It is suggested that VEGF, G-CSF and erythropoietin are the most promising compounds for the stimulation of neoangiogenesis and cardiac regeneration in patients with myocardial infarction.