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Updated: Jul 8, 2026
Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Cardiac Cells for Myocardial Repair
Published on: February 3, 2017
Growth factors and cell therapy in myocardial regeneration
Nilanjana Maulik1, Mahesh Thirunavukkarasu
1Department of Surgery, Molecular Cardiology and Angiogenesis Laboratory, University of Connecticut Medical Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-1110, USA. nmaulik@neuron.uchc.edu
Insights
Developing new therapies for myocardial ischemia is crucial. Combining cell and gene therapy shows promise for enhancing blood vessel growth and treating myocardial infarction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Regenerative Medicine
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction remain leading causes of death in the US.
- Effective therapies for myocardial ischemia, particularly promoting angiogenesis, are essential.
- Early studies in the 1990s showed basic fibroblast growth factor protein could alleviate myocardial ischemia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of pharmacological and molecular strategies for stimulating collateral blood vessel development.
- To evaluate the efficacy of cell therapy and gene therapy in promoting neovascularization.
- To determine if a combined cell and gene therapy approach offers enhanced therapeutic benefits for myocardial infarction.
Main Methods:
- Review of animal studies investigating growth factor delivery (protein or gene) for angiogenesis.
- Assessment of cell therapy efficacy in promoting neovascularization.
- Evaluation of combined cell and gene therapy strategies.
Main Results:
- Pharmacological and molecular methods, including growth factor delivery, can stimulate collateral development.
- Both cell therapy and gene therapy have demonstrated effectiveness in animal models for neovascularization.
- Combining cell therapy with gene therapy (growth factors) may significantly enhance therapeutic neovascularization.
Conclusions:
- Stimulating angiogenesis through growth factors is a viable strategy for treating myocardial ischemia.
- Cell and gene therapies are effective approaches for promoting neovascularization in myocardial infarction models.
- A combined cell and gene therapy strategy presents a promising clinical approach for patients with myocardial infarction.
Abstract:
Despite significant advances in myocardial revascularization and reperfusion, coronary artery disease and subsequently myocardial infarction, are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. Thus one of the main goals in the treatment of myocardial ischemia is the development of effective therapy for angiogenesis. The first evidence is the demonstration of alleviation of myocardial ischemia and increased number of collateral blood vessels in the early 1990s following intra-coronary administration of basic fibroblast growth factor protein in dog. Multiple animal studies, has confirmed the concept of stimulation of collateral development by pharmacological and molecular means. This includes direct delivery of growth factors into the ischemic target tissues, or of genes that encode for synthesis of growth factors by target tissues. Both cell therapy and gene therapy have proven to be effective to promote neovascularization in various animal models. Cell therapy alone is proven to be beneficial however the combination of cell and gene therapy (growth factors) may enhance therapeutic neovascularization. Thus clinically relevant, combined strategy could be an excellent strategy for treating patients with myocardial infarction.
