Monascus pigment-protected bone marrow-derived stem cells for heart failure treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show therapeutic promise for heart failure (HF).
• Clinical translation of MSCs is limited by poor retention and activity due to the inflammatory and oxidative stress-rich HF microenvironment.
• Novel strategies are needed to enhance MSC efficacy in HF treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an injectable hydrogel system loaded with monascus pigment (MP) nanoparticles (PPM) for bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) transplantation.
• To evaluate the ability of PPM-loaded hydrogels to improve the adverse HF microenvironment.
• To assess the therapeutic efficacy of this combined approach in a rat HF model.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of injectable hydrogels using Schiff base cross-linking to encapsulate PPM and BMSCs.
• Characterization of hydrogel properties, including biocompatibility, injectability, and tissue adhesion.
• In vitro assessment of PPM's ROS-scavenging and macrophage-modulating effects on BMSCs.
• In vivo evaluation of the hydrogel-BMSC-PPM complex in a rat model of pericardial HF.

Main Results:

• The developed hydrogel exhibited excellent biocompatibility, injectability, and adhesion.
• PPM demonstrated significant ROS-scavenging and macrophage phenotype regulation, enhancing BMSC survival and activity in a simulated HF environment.
• Combined hydrogel-BMSC-PPM treatment led to effective improvement of cardiac function in rats with HF.
• The strategy successfully modulated the adverse HF microenvironment, supporting BMSC therapeutic potential.

Conclusions:

• Injectable, adhesive hydrogels incorporating MP nanoparticles offer a promising strategy to overcome challenges in MSC-based heart failure therapy.
• This approach enhances BMSC survival and function by creating a more favorable microenvironment.
• The findings provide valuable insights for advancing clinical applications of MSCs in treating heart failure.