Sapienza Ricerca

Stem cell-based therapies for people suffering from acute myocardial infarction(MI)or with end stage heart failure(HF)offer a promising alternative to traditional therapies,because they aim at directly replacing lost cardiomyocytes.Despite encouraging pre-clinical data in animal models using a variety of different cells,so far clinical trials with bone marrow or skeletal myoblast have provided heterogeneous results with marginal and controversial benefits.The most promising cell source for cell therapy seems to be resident cardiac stem cells(CSCs)since they are autologous and intrinsically committed towards cardiac phenotypes.One of the main limitations to be overcome in cardiac cell therapy is the low engraftment efficiency and the high cell mortality soon after delivery.Moreover,a combined approach for both cell and extra-cellular matrix replacement seems to be fundamental for a beneficial global effect on heart function.Tissue engineering(TE)protocols represent potent integrated tools,joining stem cell technologies with biocompatible scaffolds for cell seeding and support,in order to sustain CSCs delivery and solve the important issues related to low engraftment and survival after transplantation.The main aim of the present project is to develop a combined strategy between CSCs and TE,in order to:select the most promising biomaterial and the optimal culture conditions for CSCs inside it;validate the therapeutic potential of such a biocomplex in animal models,monitoring the engraftment and the effects on heart function and regeneration.Such approach will allow the optimization of TE protocols for the clinical translation of cardiac cell therapy for heart disease,also possibly leading to the development and commercialization of new clinically relevant therapeutic tools and protocols.The potential outcome of the project includes a large-scale application by the National Health System,given the extent and impact of heart disease in the general population.