The Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Different Cardiovascular Disorders: Ways of Administration, and the...

The heart is an organ with a low ability to renew and repair itself. MSCs have cell surface markers such as CD45^-, CD34^-, CD31^-, CD4⁺, CD11a⁺, CD11b⁺, CD15⁺, CD18⁺, CD25⁺, CD49d⁺, CD50⁺, CD105⁺, CD73⁺, CD90⁺, CD9⁺, CD10⁺, CD106⁺, CD109⁺, CD127⁺, CD120a⁺, CD120b⁺, CD124⁺, CD126⁺, CD140a⁺, CD140b⁺, adherent properties and the ability to differentiate into cells such as adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Autogenic, allogeneic, normal, pretreated and genetically modified MSCs and secretomes are used in preclinical and clinical studies. MSCs and their secretomes (the total released molecules) generally have cardioprotective effects. Studies on cardiovascular diseases using MSCs and their secretomes include myocardial infraction/ischemia, fibrosis, hypertrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis. Stem cells or their secretomes used for this purpose are administered to the heart via intracoronary (Antegrade intracoronary and retrograde coronary venous injection), intramyocardial (Transendocardial and epicardial injection) and intravenous routes. The protective effects of MSCs and their secretomes on the heart are generally attributed to their differentiation into cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells, their immunomodulatory properties, paracrine effects, increasing blood vessel density, cardiac remodeling, and ejection fraction and decreasing apoptosis, the size of the wound, end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, ventricular myo-mass, fibrosis, matrix metalloproteins, and oxidative stress. The present review aims to assist researchers and physicians in selecting the appropriate cell type, secretomes, and technique to increase the chance of success in designing therapeutic strategies against cardiovascular diseases.