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Mechanisms Involved Into Wound Healing And Heart Function

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Project Summary
Mechanisms involved in wound healing and heart function are essential for the survival of mammalian species. The treatment of ischaemic heart disease and myocardial tissue regeneration remains poorly understood. Mesenchymal stem cells possess the ability to differentiate into various tissue types, including hematopoiesis, cardiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and neuronal development, as well as endothelial progenitor cells. In addition to its multipotent capability, the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) can secrete and supply a large amount of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (Tang J et al., 2009). This response can be overexpressed, resulting in tumor formation. The stromal-derived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1α) plays an important …show more content…

Primary research for this proposal suggests SDF-1α and VEGF play a key role in stem cell recruitment and myocardial regeneration. Increased expression of of SDF-1α through Ad-SDF-1alpha (adenoviral vector containing human SDF-1alpha gene under the control of the rous sarcoma virus (RSV) promoter) through injection into myocardial tissue promotes angiogenesis in damaged tissue. It is suggested that SDF-1 gene expression is regulated by the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) in endothelial cells, resulting in selective in vivo expression of SDF-1 in ischemic tissue in direct proportion to reduced oxygen tension (Ceradini DJ, 2004). VEGF secreted by MSC’s is thought to enhance expression of SDF-1α. Increased expression of SDF-1α in the presence of transplanted MSC’s could potentially promote differentiation of MSC’s into myocytes, leading to regeneration of myocardial tissue leading to improved heart function.
Specific Aims
The aim of this research is to investigate if and how co-transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells, varying in quantity transplanted, in combination with overexpression of VEGF, SDF-1α, enhance differentiation and recruitment leading to cardiac repair in LAD occluded rats.
The hypothesis of the following paper proposes that

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