Injectable biopolymers and cells therapy: improvement of cardiac repair after myocardium infarction

Abstract

Tissue engineering can control cardiovascular cell biology and now to understand if cardiac loss and myocyte death can be restored. We will matrix embed endothelial (ECs) or adipocyte mesenchymal stem (ASCs) cells, as they represent a spectrum cellular approaches. ECs attain a super-regulatory phenotype secreting agents that promote vascular repair and ASCs mitigate negative cardiac remodeling and preserve ventricular function after infarction. Cells embedded within a porous three-dimensional biopolymer will be injected to increase myocardial retention, provide paracrine regulation and enhanced repair at damaged site. Most importantly this project leverages the combined talents of a diverse group of investigators from laboratories in the United States and Brazil. We envision a long lasting collaboration that takes advantage of the work Profs. Edelman and Krieger have initiated, the substantial ties Prof. Libby has with the Sao Paulo scientific community and the active research of D Dreyfuss and Miyakawa.MIT-Brazil funding will enable research at the interface of extracellular matrix biology, tissue engineering and tissue regeneration to proceed, and allow these groups to work together to generate artificial biological implants that modulate thrombosis, inflammation and remodeling related to cardiovascular injuries. (AU)