Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Anti-apoptosis is a new direction of bio-therapy of heart failure. Recent studies have found that adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) under certain conditions can be induced to differentiate into cardiomyogenic cells. By secreting a variety of cytokines, MSCs can promote cardiac angiogenesis and reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-apoptotic effects of human umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived MSCs on hypoxia-induced human cardiomyocytes apoptosis.
METHODS: Following resuscitation, human cardiomyocytes were incubated in a 6-well plate (control group) and Transwell 3412 plate. Human UCB-derived MSCs were incubated on Transwell-inserted permeable filter membrane. Cells in both groups were incubated in 95% N2+ 5% CO2 hypoxia condition for 2, 4, 12 and 24 hours. Apoptotic rate of cardiomyocytes was detected in both groups. The level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the conditioned medium was measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: From the third passage, human UCB-derived MSCs and primary culture of cardiomyocytes had IGF, but IGF-1 levels were significantly greater in human UCB-derived MSCs conditioned medium than human cardiomyocytes medium. Hypoxia can induce cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and human UCB-derived MSCs exerted protective effects on hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis under short-term and persistent hypoxia. Cardiomyocyte apoptotic rate was lower in the human UCB-derived MSCs group than control group (P < 0.05). The results have demonstrated that human UCB-derived MSCs exhibit significant anti-apoptotic effects on hypoxia-induced human cardiomyocytes. This protective effect may be associated with cell to cell direct interaction and paracrine of cytokine.