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Updated: May 21, 2026
Intramyocardial Cell Delivery: Observations in Murine Hearts
Published on: January 24, 2014
Cardiac effects of experimental intravenous bone marrow cell transplantation after myocardial infarction
Sebastian Holinski1, Georg Heinze, Fabian Knebel
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany. sebastian.holinski@charite.de
Insights
Intravenous bone marrow cell (BMC) transplantation after myocardial infarction reduced calcifying remodeling and promoted compensatory hypertrophy, potentially improving cardiac function. This offers a promising therapeutic avenue for heart failure post-MI.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiovascular Research
- Cell Therapy
Background:
- Chronic heart failure following myocardial infarction (MI) lacks fundamental treatment options.
- Direct intramyocardial bone marrow cell (BMC) transplantation shows promise but is technically challenging.
- Intravenous BMC administration presents a less invasive alternative for cardiac repair.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cardiac effects of experimental intravenous BMC application in a rat model of myocardial infarction.
- To assess the impact of BMC therapy on cardiac remodeling and functional recovery post-MI.
Main Methods:
- Lewis rats underwent LAD ligation to induce MI.
- One month post-MI, rats were randomized to receive intravenous BMC or saline.
- Echocardiography assessed cardiac function; hearts were histologically examined one month post-treatment.
Main Results:
- BMC-treated animals exhibited reduced cartilaginous metaplasia (30% vs. 50%, p <0.01).
- Significant increase in interventricular septum thickness observed in BMC group (p=0.02).
- Tendency towards smaller infarct size and improved LVEF/FS in BMC group (p=0.08).
Conclusions:
- Intravenous BMC transplantation mitigated calcifying remodeling post-MI.
- Compensatory hypertrophy within the infarct area suggests a mechanism for functional recovery.
- Intravenous BMC therapy represents a potential strategy for managing heart failure after myocardial infarction.
Objectives:
Chronic heart failure after myocardial infarction is still a serious problem without a fundamental therapy. Direct intramyocardial transplantation of bone marrow cells (BMC) is promising but difficult to perform. Therefore, cardiac effect of experimental intravenous application of BMC after myocardial infarction (MI) is evaluated.
Methods:
20 Lewis rats underwent suture ligation of the LAD. One month after the MI, they were randomized to receive either intravenous Lewis-BMC or saline injection. Hearts were explanted and histologically examined another month later. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed before MI and intravenous injection as well as before explantation.
Results:
BMC transplanted animals developed less cartilaginous metaplasia (BMC-group: 30% vs Control-group: 50%, p <0.01). Moreover, systolic thickness of the interventricular septum (IVSs) increased significantly in the BMC-group only: pre-Tx 1.4 ± 0.5 mm vs post-Tx 2.3 ± 0.5 mm, p = 0.02; whereas, systolic left ventricular posterior wall diameter (LVPWD) increased in the control groups only: pre-Tx 2.6 ± 0.5 mm vs post-Tx 3.4 ± 0.8 mm, p = 0.04. BMC transplantation showed a tendency towards a smaller infarct area (BMC group, 11% vs. Control group, 13%; p = 0.07) and increases in LVEF and FS after an intravenous injection (p = 0.08).
Conclusion:
Intravenous BMC-Tx led to less calcifying remodelling and a compensatory hypertrophy within the infarction area that probably contributes to functional recovery.
