Stimulatory Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on cKit+ Cardiac Stem Cells Are Mediated by SDF1/CXCR4 and SCF/cKit Signaling Pathways.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Culture-expanded cells originating from cardiac tissue that express the cell surface receptor cKit are undergoing clinical testing as a cell source for heart failure and congenital heart disease. Although accumulating data support that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) enhance the efficacy of cardiac cKit(+) cells (CSCs), the underlying mechanism for this synergistic effect remains incompletely understood.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that MSCs stimulate endogenous CSCs to proliferate, migrate, and differentiate via the SDF1/CXCR4 and stem cell factor/cKit pathways.

Methods and results

Using genetic lineage-tracing approaches, we show that in the postnatal murine heart, cKit(+) cells proliferate, migrate, and form cardiomyocytes, but not endothelial cells. C

SUBMITTER: Hatzistergos KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5180614 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature