Conversion of Unmodified Stem Cells to Pacemaker Cells by Overexpression of Key Developmental Genes.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Arrhythmias of the heart are currently treated by implanting electronic pacemakers and defibrillators. Unmodified adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) have the potential to differentiate into all three germ layers but have not yet been tested for the generation of pacemaker and Purkinje cells. We investigated if-based on overexpression of dominant conduction cell-specific genes in ASCs-biological pacemaker cells could be induced. Here we show that by overexpression of certain genes that are active during the natural development of the conduction system, the differentiation of ASCs to pacemaker and Purkinje-like cells is feasible. Our study revealed that the most effective procedure consisted of short-term upregulation of gene combinations SHOX2-TBX5-HCN2, and to a lesser extent SHOX2-TBX3-HCN2. Single-gene expression protocols were ineffective. Future clinical implantation of such pacemaker and Purkinje cells, derived from unmodified ASCs of the same patient, could open up new horizons for the treatment of arrythmias.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.