Circulating very small embryonic-like stem cells in cardiovascular disease.

Abstract

Very small embryonic-like cells (VSELs) are a population of stem cells residing in the bone marrow (BM) and several organs, which undergo mobilization into peripheral blood (PB) following acute myocardial infarction and stroke. These cells express markers of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), such as Oct-4, Nanog, and SSEA-1, as well as early cardiac, endothelial, and neural tissue developmental markers. VSELs can be effectively isolated from the BM, umbilical cord blood, and PB. Peripheral blood and BM-derived VSELs can be expanded in co-culture with C2C12 myoblast feeder layer and undergo differentiation into cells from all three germ layers, including cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells. Isolation of VSLEs using fluorescence-activated cell sorting multiparameter live cell sorting system is dependent on gating strategy based on their small size and expression of PSC and absence of hematopoietic lineage markers. VSELs express early cardiac and endothelial lineages markers (GATA-4, Nkx2.5/Csx, VE-cadherin, and von Willebrand factor), SDF-1 chemokine receptor CXCR4, and undergo rapid mobilization in acute MI and ischemic stroke. Experiments in mice showed differentiation of BM-derived VSELs into cardiac myocytes and effectiveness of expanded and pre-differentiated VSLEs in improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction after myocardial infarction.

• Authors: Wojciech Wojakowski, Magda Kucia, Rui Liu, Ewa Zuba-Surma, Tomasz Jadczyk, Ryszard Bachowski, Edyta Nabiałek, Maciej Kaźmierski, Mariusz Z Ratajczak, Michał Tendera
• Journal: Journal of cardiovascular translational research (J Cardiovasc Transl Res) Vol. 4 Issue 2 Pg. 138-44 (Apr 2011) ISSN: 1937-5395 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21165781 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers

Topics

• Animals
• Biomarkers (metabolism)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (metabolism, pathology, physiopathology, surgery)
• Cell Culture Techniques
• Cell Differentiation
• Cell Lineage
• Cell Movement
• Cell Separation (methods)
• Cell Size
• Embryonic Stem Cells (metabolism, pathology, transplantation)
• Flow Cytometry
• Humans
• Myocardium (metabolism, pathology)
• Recovery of Function
• Regeneration
• Stem Cell Transplantation
• Stroke Volume
• Treatment Outcome
• Ventricular Function, Left