Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Many animal experiments showed that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) could ameliorate myocardial ischemia and increase collateral circulation after myocardial infarction. However, EPCs are less in the peripheral blood and the contents of the amplified cells are also very limited.
OBJECTIVE: To observe proliferation and differentiation of EPCs transfected with telomerase reverse transcriptase gene, and effects of EPC transplantation on neovascularization and cardiac function in the region of myocardial infarction.
METHODS: A computer-based search was performed in PubMed and Chinese Journal Full-text Database for relevant articles published from January 1993 to April 2010. The key words were “endothelial progenitor cells, human telomerase reverse transcriptase, myocardial infarction, seed cells”. To focus on thirty documents, we discussed the effect of EPCs transfected with telomerase reverse transcriptase gene in treatment of myocardial infarction. 
RESULTS: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene could be successfully transfected into EPCs, and EPCs transfected with human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene could enhance the abilities of proliferation, prolong life, and improve the abilities of neovascularization and endomembrane repair in order to treat myocardial infarction. There is no report concerning EPCs transfected with human telomerase reverse transcriptase for treatment of myocardial infarction.
CONCLUSION: The EPCs modified by human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene could enhance the abilities of proliferation, and increase activity of EPCs, improve neovascularization and improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction.