Bone marrow mononuclear cell angiogenic competency is suppressed by a high-salt diet

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Cardiovascular Research
• Cell Therapy

Background:

• Autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) transplantation shows promise for revascularizing ischemic tissues.
• Previous research indicated that a high-salt diet (HSD) impairs electrical stimulation-induced skeletal muscle angiogenesis in rats.
• The impact of HSD on BM-MNC angiogenic function remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether elevated dietary sodium intake impairs the angiogenic function of BM-MNCs.
• To determine if BM-MNCs from HSD-fed rats can restore angiogenesis in ischemic hindlimbs.
• To explore the role of the renin-angiotensin system in HSD-induced impairment of BM-MNC angiogenic capacity.

Main Methods:

• Rats were fed either a high-salt diet (HSD) or a normal salt diet (NSD).
• BM-MNCs were isolated from donor rats on HSD or NSD.
• BM-MNCs were transplanted into recipient rats undergoing hindlimb stimulation and HSD.
• Angiotensin II infusion and losartan treatment were used to modulate the renin-angiotensin system.
• In vitro and in vivo apoptosis assays were performed on BM-MNCs.

Main Results:

• BM-MNC transplantation from NSD donors, but not HSD donors, restored angiogenesis in HSD recipients.
• Angiotensin II infusion restored the angiogenic capacity of BM-MNCs from HSD donors.
• Losartan treatment inhibited the angiogenic competency of BM-MNCs from NSD donors.
• BM-MNCs from HSD donors exhibited increased apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.
• BM-MNCs treated with losartan also showed increased apoptosis.

Conclusions:

• High-salt diet impairs the angiogenic competency of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells.
• This impairment is linked to the suppression of the renin-angiotensin system and increased apoptosis of BM-MNCs.
• BM-MNC transplantation can restore skeletal muscle angiogenesis, but donor diet must be considered.