Collagen regulates the ability of endothelial progenitor cells to protect hypoxic myocardium through a mechanism involving miR-377/VE-PTP axis.

ABSTRACT: The possibility to employ stem/progenitor cells in the cardiovascular remodelling after myocardial infarction is one of the main queries of regenerative medicine. To investigate whether endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in the restoration of hypoxia-affected myocardium, we used a co-culture model that allowed the intimate interaction between EPCs and myocardial slices, mimicking stem cell transplantation into the ischaemic heart. On this model, we showed that EPCs engrafted to some extent and only transiently survived into the host tissue, yet produced visible protective effects, in terms of angiogenesis and protection against apoptosis and identified miR-377-VE-PTP axis as being involved in the protective effects of EPCs in hypoxic myocardium. We also showed that collagen, t

SUBMITTER: Rosca AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6156385 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature