Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles alone or in conjunction with a SDKP-conjugated self-assembling peptide improve a rat model of myocardial infarction

The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiac repair effect of human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) after intramyocardial injection in free form or encapsulated within a self-assembling peptide hydrogel modified with SDKP motif, in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI).

MSC-EVs were isolated by ultracentrifuge and characterized for physical parameters and surface proteins. Furthermore, cellular uptake and cardioprotective effects of MSC-EVs were evaluated in vitro using neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes (NMCMs). In vivo effects of MSC-EVs on cardiac repair were studied in rat MI model by comparing the vehicle group (injected with PBS), EV group (injected with MSC-EVs) and Gel + EV group (injected with MSC-EVs encapsulated in (RADA)₄-SDKP hydrogel) with respect to cardiac function and fibrotic area using echocardiography and Masson's trichrome staining, respectively. Histological sections were assessed by α-SMA and CD68 immunostaining to investigate the angiogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of the MSC-EVs.

We observed the uptake of MSC-EVs into NMCMs which led to NMCMs protection against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress by substantial reduction of apoptosis. In myocardial infarcted rats, cardiac function was improved after myocardial injection of MSC-EVs alone or in conjunction with (RADA)₄-SDKP hydrogel. This functional restoration coincided with promotion of angiogenesis and decrement of fibrosis and inflammation.

These data demonstrated that MSC-EVs can be used alone as a potent therapeutic agent for improvement of myocardial infarction.