Cardiac progenitor cell sheets secrete proangiogenic growth factors and locally activate capillarogenesis after infarction

Background.      The application of tissue-engineered constructs that simulate the natural microenvironment of cells, maintain their viability and functional properties, is a new promising route for the treatment of ischemic diseases. However, the mechanisms that ensure the effectiveness of this type of treatment and the principles of choosing the optimal population of progenitor cells remain poorly understood.        

Aim. To study the profile of secretion of proangiogenic growth factors of cardiosphere-derived cell sheet (CS), and to study the effect of their transplantation on postinfarction myocardial vascularization.            

Methods. Assembly of cardiosphere-derived cell sheets were performed on thermosensitive culture plates. Characterization of cell sheets was performed using immunofluorescence staining and a commercial kit for the determination of proangiogenic factors “Mouse Angiogenesis Antibody Array”. The evaluation of the angiogenic properties of the cell graft in vivo was carried out using a rat myocardial infarction model.              

Results. It was found that the cardiosphere-derived cell sheet secrete factors involved in the regulation of vasculo-/angiogenesis. At the same time, the cultivation of cell sheets under hypoxic conditions (3% O2) led to an increase in the secretion of proangigenic factors VEGF and pIgF, fGf-1, FGF-2, endothelin-1, as well as MMP-9, which is involved in extracellular matrix remodeling. Cell sheet transplantation on the epicardial surface of the heart after myocardial infarction ensures cell viability and local increase in capillarization of the damaged area. 

Conclusion. Thus, the application of cardiosphere-derived cell sheets, which have proangiogenic properties and ability to maintain post transplantation cell survival, can be considered as a promising approach for the development of new methods of therapy for heart diseases

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