Angiogenic potential of rat cardiac stem cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells

Cell therapy is a promising approach in the treatment of ischaemic myocardial damage. Multiple research data show that c-kit+ cardiac stem cells of adult organism as well as mesenchymal stromal bone marrow cells demonstrate paracrine effect in the treatment of ischaemic myocardial damage. Comparative immunofluorescent, flow cytometry and RT-PCR analysis of c-kit positive cardiac stem cells and bone marrow derived mesenchimal stromal cells in rats indicates that both types of cells have similar mesenchimal (CD90, CD29, CD73, vimentin, collagen type I, fibronectin), pericyte (aSMA, NG2, nestin, alkaline phosphatase type I, Sca1), endothelial (CD31, Tie2, vW) markers and express paracrine factors and their receptors (PDGFb / PDGFRb, VEGF /VEGFR2, Angl / Tie2, HGF / e-met, TGFb, Sfrpl). Cultivation of CSC and BM-MSC in endothelial medium EGM2 helped to improve the angiogenic potential of the culture, as evidenced by the intense isolectin B4 binding, the formation of capillary-like structures in Matrigel test. We hypothesized that c-kit+ CSC are regional mesenchymal stem cells with features of cardiac pericytes. Moreover, we showed that rat bone marrow derived mesenchimal stromal cells demonstrate angiogenic potential in vitro.