Cardiac muscle patches containing four types of cardiac cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells improve recovery from cardiac injury in mice

Aims We have shown that human cardiac muscle patches (hCMPs) containing three different types of cardiac cells-cardiomyocytes (CMs), smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and endothelial cells (ECs), all of which were differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs)-significantly improved cardiac function, infarct size, and hypertrophy in a pig model of myocardial infarction (MI). However, hPSC-derived CMs (hPSC-CMs) are phenotypically immature, which may lead to arrhythmogenic concerns; thus, since hPSC-derived cardiac fibroblasts (hPSC-CFs) appear to enhance the maturity of hPSC-CMs, we compared hCMPs containing hPSC-CMs, -SMCs, -ECs, and -CFs (4TCC-hCMPs) with a second hCMP construct that lacked hPSC-CFs but was otherwise identical [hCMP containing hPSC-CMs, -AECs, and -SMCs (3TCC-hCMPs)]. Methods and results hCMPs were generated in a fibrin scaffold. MI was induced in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice through permanent coronary artery (left anterior descending) ligation, followed by treatment with cardiac muscle patches. Animal groups included: MI heart treated with 3TCC-hCMP; with 4TCC-hCMP; MI heart treated with no patch (MI group) and sham group. Cardiac function was evaluated using echocardiography, and cell engraftment rate and infarct size were evaluated histologically at 4 weeks after patch transplantation. The results from experiments in cultured hCMPs demonstrate that the inclusion of cardiac fibroblast in 4TCC-hCMPs had (i) better organized sarcomeres; (ii) abundant structural, metabolic, and ion-channel markers of CM maturation; and (iii) greater conduction velocities (31 +/- 3.23 cm/s, P < 0.005) and action-potential durations (APD50 = 365 ms +/- 2.649, P < 0.0001; APD = 408 ms +/- 2.757, P < 0.0001) than those (velocity and APD time) in 3TCC-hCMPs. Furthermore, 4TCC-hCMPs transplantation resulted in better cardiac function [ejection fraction (EF) = 49.18% +/- 0.86, P < 0.05], reduced infarct size (22.72% +/- 0.98, P < 0.05), and better engraftment (15.99% +/- 1.56, P < 0.05) when compared with 3TCC-hCMPs (EF = 41.55 +/- 0.92%, infarct size = 39.23 +/- 4.28%, and engraftment = 8.56 +/- 1.79%, respectively). Conclusion Collectively, these observations suggest that the inclusion of hPSC-CFs during hCMP manufacture promotes hPSC-CM maturation and increases the potency of implanted hCMPs for improving cardiac recovery in mice model of MI.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that human cardiac muscle patches containing three types of cardiac cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells significantly improved cardiac function, reduced infarct size, and promoted cardiac maturation in a pig model of myocardial infarction. The inclusion of cardiac fibroblasts in the cardiac patches enhanced the maturity and function of cardiac muscle cells. Transplantation of cardiac patches with cardiac fibroblasts resulted in better cardiac recovery and engraftment compared to patches without fibroblasts.