VIEWPOINT
The Dying Stem Cell Hypothesis
Immune Modulation as a Novel Mechanism for Progenitor Cell Therapy in Cardiac Muscle
Thomas Thum, MD*, ,*,
Johann Bauersachs, MD ,
Philip A. Poole-Wilson, MD, FRCP*,
Hans-Dieter Volk, MD, PhD and
Stefan D. Anker, MD, PhD*, ,
* Department of Clinical Cardiology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College of Medicine, London, United Kingdom
Medizinische Klinik I, Universitätsklinikum, Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität, Würzburg, Germany
Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
Applied Cachexia Research, Department of Cardiology, Charité Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
Manuscript received June 3, 2005;
revised manuscript received July 1, 2005,
accepted July 12, 2005.
* Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Thomas Thum, Julius-Maximilians University, Cardiology, Josef-Schneider Str. 2, Würzburg, Bavaria 97080, Germany (Email: thum_t{at}klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de; s.anker{at}imperial.ac.uk). Prof. Stefan Anker, National Heart and Lung Institute, Department of Clinical Cardiology, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, United Kingdom
(Email: thum_t{at}klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de; s.anker{at}imperial.ac.uk).
Stem cell transplantation after myocardial infarction has been claimed to restore cardiac function, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. A minority of transplanted cells become adherent in heart tissue and contribute to neovascularization, whereas many donor cells die from apoptosis. We propose that apoptosis of transplanted cells modulates local tissue reactions. Apoptotic cells impact on immune reactivity by down-regulating innate and adaptive immunity, deactivating macrophages and dendritic cells, and stimulating regulatory T cells. This leads to reduced scar formation, repressed myocardial apoptosis, and improved cardiac outcome.
|
Abbreviations and Acronyms
| | AMI = acute myocardial infarction | | IL = interleukin | | PS = phosphatidylserine | | TGF = transforming growth factor | | TLR = Toll-like receptor |
|
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Gianella, U. Guerrini, M. Tilenni, L. Sironi, G. Milano, E. Nobili, S. Vaga, M. C. Capogrossi, E. Tremoli, and M. Pesce
Magnetic resonance imaging of human endothelial progenitors reveals opposite effects on vascular and muscle regeneration into ischaemic tissues
Cardiovasc Res,
October 31, 2009;
(2009)
cvp325v2.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C.-K. Sun, F.-Y. Lee, J.-J. Sheu, C.-M. Yuen, S. Chua, S.-Y. Chung, H.-T. Chai, Y.-T. Chen, Y.-H. Kao, L.-T. Chang, et al.
Early Combined Treatment with Cilostazol and Bone Marrow-Derived Endothelial Progenitor Cells Markedly Attenuates Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Rats
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.,
September 1, 2009;
330(3):
718 - 726.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. L Kao, W. Browder, and C. Li
Cellular Cardiomyoplasty: What Have We Learned?
Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann,
January 1, 2009;
17(1):
89 - 101.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. Sun, S.-H. Li, S.-M. Liu, J. Wu, R. D. Weisel, Y.-F. Zhuo, T. M. Yau, R.-K. Li, and S. S. Fazel
Improvement in cardiac function after bone marrow cell thearpy is associated with an increase in myocardial inflammation
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol,
January 1, 2009;
296(1):
H43 - H50.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
G. W. Stone
Angioplasty Strategies in ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Part II: Intervention After Fibrinolytic Therapy, Integrated Treatment Recommendations, and Future Directions
Circulation,
July 29, 2008;
118(5):
552 - 566.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. C. Chachques, J. C. Trainini, N. Lago, M. Cortes-Morichetti, O. Schussler, and A. Carpentier
Myocardial Assistance by Grafting a New Bioartificial Upgraded Myocardium (MAGNUM Trial): Clinical Feasibility Study
Ann. Thorac. Surg.,
March 1, 2008;
85(3):
901 - 908.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. Zeng, Q. Hu, X. Wang, A. Mansoor, J. Lee, J. Feygin, G. Zhang, P. Suntharalingam, S. Boozer, A. Mhashilkar, et al.
Bioenergetic and Functional Consequences of Bone Marrow-Derived Multipotent Progenitor Cell Transplantation in Hearts With Postinfarction Left Ventricular Remodeling
Circulation,
April 10, 2007;
115(14):
1866 - 1875.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Thum, D. Fraccarollo, S. Thum, M. Schultheiss, A. Daiber, P. Wenzel, T. Munzel, G. Ertl, and J. Bauersachs
Differential Effects of Organic Nitrates on Endothelial Progenitor Cells Are Determined by Oxidative Stress
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol,
April 1, 2007;
27(4):
748 - 754.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
U. Dirnagl, J. Klehmet, J. S. Braun, H. Harms, C. Meisel, T. Ziemssen, K. Prass, and A. Meisel
Stroke-Induced Immunodepression: Experimental Evidence and Clinical Relevance
Stroke,
February 1, 2007;
38(2):
770 - 773.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K. Lunde, S. Solheim, S. Aakhus, H. Arnesen, M. Abdelnoor, T. Egeland, K. Endresen, A. Ilebekk, A. Mangschau, J. G. Fjeld, et al.
Intracoronary injection of mononuclear bone marrow cells in acute myocardial infarction.
N. Engl. J. Med.,
September 21, 2006;
355(12):
1199 - 1209.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. J. Gavira, M. Perez-Ilzarbe, G. Abizanda, A. Garcia-Rodriguez, J. Orbe, J. A. Paramo, M. Belzunce, G. Rabago, J. Barba, J. Herreros, et al.
A comparison between percutaneous and surgical transplantation of autologous skeletal myoblasts in a swine model of chronic myocardial infarction
Cardiovasc Res,
September 1, 2006;
71(4):
744 - 753.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Torella, G. M. Ellison, and S. Dellegrottaglie
Testing Regeneration of Human Myocardium Without Knowing the Identity and the Number of Effective Bone Marrow Cells Transplanted: Are the Results Meaningful?
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol.,
July 18, 2006;
48(2):
417 - 417.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. Leor, L. Rozen, A. Zuloff-Shani, M. S. Feinberg, Y. Amsalem, I. M. Barbash, E. Kachel, R. Holbova, Y. Mardor, D. Daniels, et al.
Ex Vivo Activated Human Macrophages Improve Healing, Remodeling, and Function of the Infarcted Heart
Circulation,
July 4, 2006;
114(1_suppl):
I-94 - I-100.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|