Marrow-derived MSCs and atorvastatin improve cardiac function in rat model of AMI

Objective: Both atorvastatin and cell-based therapy were reportedly beneficial to ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In this study, we sought to study the synergistic effects of marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and atorvastatin in a rat model of AMI. Methods: To create a rat model of AMI, left anterior descending artery (LAD) ligations were performed on 40 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. After the establishment of AMI, animals were randomly divided into 4 groups to receive variant treatments: control, MSCs only, atorvastatin only, and MSCs plus atorvastatin, with 10 animals in each group. Results: Four weeks following the treatments, the hemodynamic testing showed significant functional improvement in animals that received MSCs plus atorvastatin compared with controls, MSCs or atorvastatin only treated animals. Histological analysis showed more MSCs were present in animals receiving combination therapy than in animals which received MSCs alone. Vessel density was higher in animals receiving combination therapy than in other groups. Discussion: These results suggest that either atorvastatin or MSCs cannot individually improve ventricular function significantly. However, atorvastatin synergistically enhanced the beneficial effects of MSCs in the treatment of AMI. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.