Improved therapeutic efficacy in cardiomyocyte transplantation for myocardial infarction with release system of basic fibroblast growth factor

Several studies have demonstrated that cell transplantation was effective for the therapy of myocardial infarction. However, little care has been taken for the blood supply indispensable to cell transplantation. This study is an investigation to evaluate the feasibility of in advance angiogenesis by gelatin microspheres incorporating basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for the transplantation therapy of cardiomyocytes with an ischemic cardiomyopathy model. Rats with myocardial infarction received the intramuscular injection of culture medium (Control), or that containing fetal cardiomyocytes (TX) or gelatin microspheres incorporating bFGF (FGF), and gelatin microspheres incorporating bFGF plus fetal cardiomyocytes 1 week later (FGF-TX). The left ventricle (LV) function of rat hearts was assessed by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization 4 weeks later. The LV maximum time-varying elastance was significantly higher in the FGF-TX group than in other groups. The combination of bFGF-induced angiogenesis and cardiomyocyte transplantation is a promising procedure to improve the LV function in rats with myocardial infarction.