Intramyocardial injection of allogenic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells without immunosuppression preserves cardiac function in a porcine model of myocardial infarction.

Background: We investigated the efficacy of directly injected allogenic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in improving left ventricular function in a porcine model of myocardial infarction.

Methods: Left ventricular infarction was created in 16 adult Yorkshire pigs by coil embolization and thrombotic occlusion distal to the second diagonal artery. One month after myocardial infarction was induced, the animals were randomized to either direct injection of allogenic mesenchymal stem cells or sham treatment (culture medium).