Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Delivery System Modulates Ischemic Cardiac Remodeling With an Increase of Coronary Artery Blood Flow

Ways for extending the longevity of stem cells are imperative to attain diverse expected therapeutic effects. Here, we constructed a three-dimentional (3D) scaffold system for human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) delivery. Intramyocardial injections of porous PEI1.8k blended with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (PLGA/PEI1.8k) (PPP) microparticles by physical electrostatic conjugation and structural entrapment of hMSCs demonstrated enhanced functional and geometric improvements on post-infarct cardiac remodeling in rats. In the hMSC-loaded PPP delivery, increases of coronary artery blood flow rate and in vivo engraftment rate as well as time-dependent functional, geometric, and pathologic findings reversing post-infarct cardiac remodeling account for improved left ventricular (LV) systolic function up to the level of sham thoracotomy group. This study expands our understanding by proving that increase of coronary artery blood flow augmented functional recovery of hMSC-loaded PPP delivery system after myocardial infarction (MI).