Researchers discover a stem cell therapy that can help heal injured heart

Researchers have discovered a stem cell therapy that might help the heart recuperate from an attack.

The study reported that injecting living or even dead heart stem cells into the injured hearts of mice triggers an acute inflammatory process, which in turn generates a wound healing-like response to enhance the mechanical properties of the injured area.

Mediated by macrophage cells of the immune system, the secondary healing process provided a modest benefit to heart function after a heart attack, according to the lead researcher.

The innate immune response acutely altered cellular activity around the injured area of the heart so that it healed with a more optimized scar and improved contractile properties, the author said.

The findings build on a 2014 study published by the same team. As in earlier study, the current paper shows that injecting c-kit positive heart stem cells into damaged heart as a strategy to regenerate cardiomyocytes doesn't work.

The findings prompted  the researchers to conclude that there is a need to re-evaluate the current planned cell therapy based clinical trials to ask how this therapy might really work.

Researchers worked with 2 types of heart stem cells currently used in the clinical trials- bone marrow mononuclear cells and cardiac progenitor cells. 

As they went through the process of testing and re-verifying their data under different conditions, they were surprised to discover that in addition to the 2 types of stem cells, injecting dead cells or even an inert chemical called zymosan also provided benefit to the heart by optimizing the healing process. Zymosan is a substance designed to induce an innate immune response.

They reported that stem cells or zymosan therapies tested in this study altered immune cell response that significantly decreased the formation of extracellular matrix connective tissue in the injury areas, while also improving the mechanical properties of the scar itself.

Researchers also found that stem cells and other therapeutic substances like zymosan have to be injected directly into the heart's surrounding area of infarction injury.

Most of the current trials  were also incorrectly designed because they infuse cells into the vasculature. Our results show that the injected material has to go directly into the heart tissue flanking the infarct region. This is  where the healing is occurring and where the macrophages can work their magic, the researcher explained.

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New polymer patch can repair heart damage

A new flexible polymer patch can improve the conduction of electrical impulses across damaged heart tissue without the need for stitches, scientists say.
The patch, which has been shown to work in animal models, is long lasting and has the significant advantage that it can be stuck onto the heart without the need for stitches.
"Heart attacks create a scar which slows and disrupts the conduction of electrical impulses across the heart," said Professor Sian Harding from Imperial College London.
"This leads to potentially fatal disturbances of the heart rhythm. Our electrically conducting polymer patch is designed to address this serious problem," said Harding.
The patch is made from three components: a film of chitosan, a polysaccharide found in crab shells that is often used as a food additive; polyaniline, a conducting polymer that is grown on top; and phytic acid, a substance found in plants which is added to the polyaniline to switch it to its conducting state.
"Conducting polymers work when they are dry, but most become non-conducting in a very short time when placed in bodily fluids," said Dr Damia Mawad from University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia.
"Our suture-less patch represents a big advance. We have shown it is stable and retains it conductivity in physiological conditions for more than two weeks, compared with the usual one day of other designs," said Mawad.
"No stitches are required to attach it, so it is minimally invasive and less damaging to the heart, and it moves more closely with the heart's motion," Mawad said.
The patch is made to adhere to the heart tissue by shining a green laser on it. 

 The researchers tested the patch by implanting it into rats. They found it improved the conduction of electrical impulses across the heart scar tissue.

"We envisage heart attack patients eventually having patches attached as a bridge between the healthy and the scar tissue, to help prevent cardiac arrhythmia.

"However, our patch is at the very early stages of this research. This technology can now be used for basic research to gain insights into the interface between the material and tissue," said Mawad.

"The patch can help us better understand how conductive materials interact with heart tissue and influence the electrical conduction in the heart, as well as better understand the physiological changes associated with heart attacks," said Professor Molly Stevens at Imperial College London. 

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