Growth factors induce the improved cardiac remodeling in autologous mesenchymal stem cell-implanted failing rat hearts.

Therapeutically delivered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) improve ventricular remodeling. However, the mechanism underlying MSC cardiac remodeling has not been clearly determined. Congestive heart failure (CHF) was induced in rats by cauterization of the left ventricular free wall.

[Autologous mesenchymal stem cell implantation promotes myocardial expressions of growth factors and improves cardiac function in failing rat hearts].

Objective: To explore the underlying mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transfer induced cardiac function improvement in failing hearts.

Methods: Congestive heart failure (CHF) was induced in rats by cauterization of the heart wall. MSCs were cultured from autologous bone marrow and injected into the border zone and the remote myocardium 5 days after cauterization.

[Effect of carvedilol and perindopril on Ca(2+) pump activity and Ca(2+)-release channel density in myocardial sarcoplasmic reticulum in rats with chronic heart failure following myocardial infarction].

Objective: To study the effects of carvedilol combined with perindopril on Ca(2+) pump activity and the density of Ca(2+)-release channel ryanodine receptor (RyR2) in the myocardial sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in rats with chronic heart failure caused by myocardial infarction.

Methods: Rat models of chronic heart failure established by left coronary artery ligation were divided into different groups and treated with carvedilol (6 mg.kg(-1).

Cell therapy in congestive heart failure.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) has emerged as a major worldwide epidemic and its main causes seem to be the aging of the population and the survival of patients with post-myocardial infarction. Cardiomyocyte dropout (necrosis and apoptosis) plays a critical role in the progress of CHF; thus treatment of CHF by exogenous cell implantation will be a promising medical approach. In the acute phase of cardiac damage cardiac stem cells (CSCs) within the heart divide symmetrically and/or asymmetrically in response to the change of heart homeostasis, and at the same time homing of bone marrow stem cells (BMCs) to injured area is thought to occur, which not only reconstitutes CSC population to normal levels but also repairs the heart by differentiation into cardiac tissue.