Transduction of rat and human adipose-tissue derived mesenchymal stromal cells by adeno-associated viral vector serotype DJ.

Ex vivo, gene therapy is a powerful approach holding great promises for the treatment of both genetic and acquired diseases. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are a safe and efficient delivery system for modification of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) that could maximize their therapeutic benefits. Assessment of MSC viability and functional activity after infection with new AAV serotypes is necessary, due to AAV tropism to specific cell types.

Cell Sheet Comprised of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Overexpressing Stem Cell Factor Promotes Epicardium Activation and Heart Function Improvement in a Rat Model of Myocardium Infarction.

Cell therapy of the post-infarcted myocardium is still far from clinical use. Poor survival of transplanted cells, insufficient regeneration, and replacement of the damaged tissue limit the potential of currently available cell-based techniques. In this study, we generated a multilayered construct from adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) modified to secrete stem cell factor, SCF.

Urokinase plasminogen activator in injured adventitia increases the number of myofibroblasts and augments early proliferation.

Myofibroblasts are involved in vessel remodeling during the development of hypertension as well as after angioplasty and aortocoronary grafting, but the mechanisms of myofibroblastic phenotypic modulation are not fully elucidated. We assessed the role of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its proteolytic activity in myofibroblast differentiation and the early proliferation following mechanical injury of the rat carotid adventitia. The effects of perivascular application of recombinant uPA (r-uPA), proteolytically inactive r-uPA(H/Q) and uPA neutralizing antibody were evaluated 4 days after surgical injury to the adventitia.