Stem-cell therapy in an experimental model of pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure: role of paracrine and neurohormonal milieu in the remodeling process.

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)

In this study we investigated the effect of human amniotic fluid stem (hAFS) cells and rat adipose tissue stromal vascular fraction GFP-positive cell (rSVC-GFP) therapy and the contribution of the paracrine and neurohormonal milieu to cardiac and pulmonary vascular remodeling in a rat model of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right heart failure (RHF). Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with monocrotaline (MCT). Four million hAFS or rSVC-GFP cells were injected via the tail vein 3 weeks after MCT. RHF was confirmed by RV hypertrophy/dilation and by brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level. Cytokine profile was assessed by Multiplex array. Stem cell (SC) differentiation was studied by immunofluorescence. MCT rats showed eccentric RV hypertrophy with increased RV dilation (measured as right ventricular mass/right ventricular volume [RVM/RVV]: MCT, 1.46 ± 0.12; control, 2.33 ± 0.24; p = 0.01), and increased RV hypertrophy (measured as LVM/RVM: MCT, 1.58 ± 0.06; control, 2.83 ± 0.1; p < 0.00001), increased BNP (MCT, 5.2 ± 1.2; control, 1.5 ± 0.1; p < 0.001) and both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. SC produced a fall of BNP (hAFS, 2.1 ± 0.7; rSVC-GFP, 1.98 ± 1.3; p < 0.001) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Positive RV remodeling with decreased RV dilation (RVM/RVV: hAFS, 1.87 ± 0.44; rSVC-GFP, 2.12 ± 0.24; p < 0.03 and p < 0.05 vs MCT) and regression of RV hypertrophy (LVM/RVM: hAFS

Evidence level

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

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