Generation of induced cardiac progenitor cellsviasomatic reprogramming

Jianyong Xu,Lingyun Li,Zhong Huang,Wei Lian

doi:10.18632/oncotarget.15272

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) represent a more effective cell-based therapy for treatment of myocardial infarction. Unfortunately, their therapeutic application is limited by low yield of cell harvesting, declining quality and quantity during the ageing process, and the need for highly invasive heart biopsy. Therefore, there is an emerging interest in generating CPC-like stem cells from somatic cells via somatic reprogramming. This novel approach would provide an unlimited source of stem cells with cardiac differentiation potential. Here we would firstly discuss the different types of CPC and their importance in stem cell therapy for treatment of myocardial infarction; secondly, the necessity of generating induced CPC from somatic cells via somatic reprogramming; and finally the current progress of somatic reprogramming in cardiac cells, especially induced CPC generation.

Highlights

The first report of purification and characterisation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) was published in 2003 and defined as c-Kit+Lin− cells [11]
They were self-renewing, clonogenic, and multi-potent, with the ability to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells both in vitro and in vivo
Differing from bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), for which the paracrine effect is the main mechanism of heart function improvement, it has shown strong evidences of direct cardiac differentiation of CPCs [11, 26, 32-41, 4347, 80, 81]

Summary

Introduction

The first report of purification and characterisation of CPCs was published in 2003 and defined as c-Kit+Lin− cells [11]. CPC: cardiac progenitor cell; MI: myocardial infarction; IR: ischemia re-perfusion; LV: left ventricular; LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; CMC: cardiomyocyte; EC: endothelial cell; SMC: smooth muscle cell www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget GFP+/Flk1+ cells express cardiac progenitor markers (Mesp1, Isl1, and Nkx2.5) with clonogenic capability and can be differentiated into endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells.

Results

Conclusion