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Updated: Jun 14, 2026
Delayed Intramyocardial Delivery of Stem Cells after Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in a Murine Model
Published on: September 3, 2020
Calcification after myocardial infarction is independent of amniotic fluid stem cell injection
Dawn M Delo1, Xuan Guan, Zhan Wang
1Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. dawn.delo@gmail.com
Insights
Chondro-osteogenic masses can form in infarcted rat hearts without stem cell injection. This study found that infarction size, not amniotic fluid-derived stem (AFS) cells, influences mass formation and cardiac function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Regenerative Medicine
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of mortality.
- Stem cell therapy is a potential treatment for ischemic heart disease.
- Previous studies suggested amniotic fluid-derived stem (AFS) cells may cause chondro-osteogenic masses in infarcted hearts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of AFS cells in chondro-osteogenic mass formation in infarcted rat hearts.
- To determine if AFS cell injection influences the development of these bone-like masses.
- To explore the relationship between infarction size, mass formation, and cardiac function.
Main Methods:
- Induction of myocardial infarction in rats.
- Injection of AFS cells into the myocardium of some rats.
- Echocardiographic analysis to assess cardiac function and identify echogenic structures.
- Histological examination to confirm chondro-osteogenic mass formation.
Main Results:
- Chondro-osteogenic masses were observed in infarcted rat hearts, independent of AFS cell injection.
- AFS cell injection did not increase the incidence or size of these masses.
- A significant correlation was found between infarction size and chondro-osteogenic formation.
- Increased mass formation was associated with a decrease in cardiac function.
Conclusions:
- Chondro-osteogenic differentiation occurs in infarcted rat hearts irrespective of stem cell therapy.
- The size of the cardiac infarction is a key factor in chondro-osteogenic mass development.
- Findings have critical implications for the safety and design of future stem cell therapies for cardiac conditions.
Abstract:
Ischemic heart disease remains one of the most common causes of mortality in developed countries. Recently, stem cell therapy is being considered for treating ischemic heart diseases. On the other hand, there has been evidence of chondro-osteogenic mass formation after stem cell injection in the heart. In a recent publication, Chiavegato et al. (J Mol Cell Cardiol. 42 (2007) 746-759) has suggested that amniotic fluid-derived stem (AFS) cells cause chondro-osteogenic masses in the infarcted heart. The goal of the current study was to further examine the formation of such masses, specifically, the role of AFS cells in this process. Our results confirm the presence of similar bone-like masses in the left ventricular wall of infarcted rats; however, this phenomenon occurred independent of AFS cell injection into the myocardium. Moreover, AFS cell injection did not increase the presence of chondro-osteogenic masses. Echocardiographic analysis of large infarctions in rats frequently revealed the presence of echogenic structures in the left ventricular wall. We further demonstrated a significant relationship between the infarction size and chondro-osteogenic formation and subsequent decrease in cardiac function. Collectively, our study indicates that chondro-osteogenic differentiation can take place in infarcted rat heart independent of cell injection. These results have significant implications for future design and testing of stem cell therapy for treatment of cardiac muscle diseases.
