Rs. Kellar et al., Scaffold-based three-dimensional human fibroblast culture provides a structural matrix that supports angiogenesis in infarcted heart tissue, CIRCULATION, 104(17), 2001, pp. 2063-2068
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
Background-We have developed techniques to implant angiogenic patches onto
the epicardium over regions of infarcted cardiac tissue to stimulate revasc
ularization of the damaged tissue. These experiments used a scaffold-based
3D human dermal fibroblast culture (3DFC) as an epicardial patch. The 3DFC
contains viable cells that secrete angiogenic growth factors and has previo
usly been shown to stimulate angiogenic activity. The hypothesis tested was
that a viable 3DFC cardiac patch would stimulate an angiogenic response wi
thin an area of infarcted cardiac tissue.
Methods and Results-A coronary occlusion of a branch of the left anterior d
escending coronary artery was performed by thermal ligation in severe combi
ned immunodeficient mice. 3DFCs with or without viable cells were sized to
the damaged area, implanted in replicate mice onto the epicardium at the si
te of tissue injury, and compared with animals that received infarct surger
y but no implant. Fourteen and 30 days after surgery, hearts were exposed a
nd photographed, and tissue samples were prepared for histology and cytoche
mistry. Fourteen and 30 days after surgery, the damaged myocardium receivin
g viable 3DFC exhibited a significantly greater angiogenic response (includ
ing arterioles, venules, and capillaries) than nonviable and untreated cont
rol groups.
Conclusions-In this animal model, viable 3DFC stimulates angiogenesis withi
n a region of cardiac infarction and can augment a repair response in damag
ed tissue. Therefore, a potential use for 3DFC is the repair of myocardial
tissue damaged by infarction.