Myocardial infarction can lead to death and disability with a 5-year death rate for congestive heart failure of 50%. It is estimated that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity and is predicted to be the leading cause of death worldwide by 2020. Currently, heart transplantation is the only successful treatment for end-stage heart failure; however, the ability to provide this treatment is limited by the availability of donor hearts. Therefore, alternative therapies for both acute and chronic myocardial ischemia need to be developed.
Our results demonstrate that human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived hemangioblasts can create new blood vessels and improve blood flow in a rodent model of myocardial infarction. We demonstrated that adult stem cells (bone marrow CD34+ cells) can be successfully targeted to injured heart tissue, thus avoiding surgery or invasive catheter based therapies. The antibody technology can be used to target hESC-derived hemangioblasts specifically to injured heart tissue.
Further studies are needed to confirm our initial findings, determine whether the new blood vessel formation lead to an increase in heart function and safety studies. Studies are in progress to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of hESC-derived hemangioblasts to create new blood vessels. Additionally, investigations are underway to determine if immunosuppressive drugs will be necessary to increase survival of the hESC-derived hemangioblast. Our initial finding of hES-derived hemangioblasts inducing new blood vessel formation may eventually lead to the development of an unlimited and reliable cell source for renewing blood vessels and treating myocardial infarction.
Reporting Period:
Year 3
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is predicted to be the leading cause of death by 2020. In the US, it is estimated that cardiovascular disease affects 60 million patients costing the healthcare system approximately $186 billion annually. Approximately two-thirds of patients sustaining a myocardial infarction do not make a complete recovery and often are left with debilitating congestive heart failure. Despite the advances in medical treatment and interventional procedures to reduce mortality in patients with CAD, the number of patients with refractory myocardial ischemia and congestive heart failure is rapidly increasing. For end-stage heart failure, heart transplantation is the only successful treatment. However, the ability to provide this treatment is limited by the availability of donor hearts. Therefore, alternative therapies in the prevention and treatment of end-stage heart failure are needed.
Critical to any heart repair strategy is the need to provide vessels to allow for an adequate blood supply to nourish the heart. Our results demonstrate that human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived hemangioblasts can create new blood vessels and improve blood flow in a rodent model of myocardial infarction. Studies are in progress to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of hESC-derived hemangioblasts to create new blood vessels. Strategies to improve efficiency and effectiveness include the use of extracellular matrix proteins (components that make up the structural aspect of the heart) to increase the survival of the cells or the use of antibodies to direct and link the cells to the damaged heart muscle. Additionally, to decrease the risk of tumor formation from the hESC-derived hemangioblasts, the hESC-derived hemangioblasts are being cultured to form more mature endothelial cells (cells that mimic the bodies natural cells that produce blood vessels). These cells are being tested to determine whether they can effectively induce blood vessels in the heart. Our initial finding of hES-derived hemangioblasts inducing new blood vessel formation may eventually lead to the development of an unlimited and reliable cell source for renewing blood vessels and treating myocardial infarction.
Reporting Period:
Year 4
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is predicted to be the leading cause of death by 2020. In the US, it is estimated that cardiovascular disease affects 60 million patients costing the healthcare system approximately $186 billion annually. Approximately two-thirds of patients sustaining a myocardial infarction do not make a complete recovery and often are left with debilitating congestive heart failure. Despite the advances in medical treatment and interventional procedures to reduce mortality in patients with CAD, the number of patients with refractory myocardial ischemia and congestive heart failure is rapidly increasing. For end-stage heart failure, heart transplantation is the only successful treatment. However, the ability to provide this treatment is limited by the availability of donor hearts. Therefore, alternative therapies in the prevention and treatment of end-stage heart failure are needed.
Critical to any heart repair strategy is the need to provide vessels to allow for an adequate blood supply to nourish the heart. Our results demonstrate that human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived hemangioblasts can create new blood vessels and improve blood flow in a rodent model of myocardial infarction. Subsequent studies with hESC-derived endothelial progenitor cells decreased MI size and improved LV function in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia. Studies are in progress to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of hESC-derived endothelial progenitor cells to create new blood vessels.
Strategies to improve efficiency and effectiveness of stem cell therapy include the use of extracellular matrix proteins (components that make up the structural aspect of the heart) to increase the survival of the cells or the use of antibodies to direct and link the cells to the damaged heart muscle. We have demonstrated that antibodies can direct stem cells to injured myocardial tissue. Continued studies are in progress to perform studies needed for the submission of an IND. The development of peptide-modified scaffolds for the treatment of chronic heart failure has produced initial proof of concept studies that a tissue engineering approach for restoration of an injured heart is possible. Additionally, we have demonstrated that extracellular matrix derived peptides can recruit endogenous cardiac stem cells. Further development of a biopolymer scaffold for the treatment of chronic heart failure is in progress.
Reporting Period:
Year 5 NCE
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is predicted to be the leading cause of death by 2020. In the US, it is estimated that cardiovascular disease affects 60 million patients costing the healthcare system approximately $186 billion annually. Approximately two-thirds of patients sustaining a myocardial infarction do not make a complete recovery and often are left with debilitating congestive heart failure. Despite the advances in medical treatment and interventional procedures to reduce mortality in patients with CAD, the number of patients with refractory myocardial ischemia and congestive heart failure is rapidly increasing. For end-stage heart failure, heart transplantation is the only successful treatment. However, the ability to provide this treatment is limited by the availability of donor hearts. Therefore, alternative therapies in the prevention and treatment of end-stage heart failure are needed.
Critical to any heart repair strategy is the need to provide vessels to allow for an adequate blood supply to nourish the heart. Our results demonstrate that human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived hemangioblasts can create new blood vessels and improve blood flow in a rodent model of myocardial infarction. Subsequent studies with hESC-derived endothelial progenitor cells decreased MI size and improved LV function in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia. Studies are in progress to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of hESC-derived endothelial progenitor cells to create new blood vessels.
Strategies to improve efficiency and effectiveness of stem cell therapy include the use of extracellular matrix proteins (components that make up the structural aspect of the heart) to increase the survival of the cells or the use of antibodies to direct and link the cells to the damaged heart muscle. We have demonstrated that antibodies can direct stem cells to injured myocardial tissue. Continued studies are in progress to perform studies needed for the submission of an IND. The development of peptide-modified scaffolds for the treatment of chronic heart failure has produced initial proof of concept studies that a tissue engineering approach for restoration of an injured heart is possible. Additionally, we have demonstrated that extracellular matrix derived peptides can recruit endogenous cardiac stem cells. Further development of a biopolymer scaffold for the treatment of chronic heart failure is in progress.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Over one million Americans will suffer from a new or recurrent heart attacks this year and over 40 percent of those will die suddenly. In addition, about two-thirds of the patients develop congestive heart failure; and in people diagnosed with CHF, sudden cardiac death occurs at 6-9 times the general population rate. Heart transplantation remains the only viable solution for severely injured hearts; however, this treatment is limited by the availability of donor hearts. Therefore, alternative strategies to treat end stage heart failure and blocked blood vessels are needed. The objective of this proposal is to determine whether human embryonic stem (hES) cell can be used for repairing the heart. Our collaborator Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) has recently succeeded in identifying conditions for the reproducible isolation of hES cells which have the characteristics of cells which form blood vessels and heart muscle. This proposal will assess whether the hES cells can form new functional blood vessels and repair injured heart muscle in a rat model of heart attacks. Results from these studies will help develop new therapies for treating patients with heart attacks.
Statement of Benefit to California:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in California and the United States. Over one million Americans will suffer from a new or recurrent myocardial infarction this year and over 40 percent of those will die suddenly. In addition, about two-thirds of myocardial infarction patients develop congestive heart failure. The 5-year mortality rate for CHF is about 50%, and in people diagnosed with CHF, sudden cardiac death occurs at 6-9 times the general population rate. Heart transplantation remains the only viable solution for severely injured hearts; however, this treatment is limited by the availability of donor hearts. It is estimated that health care costs for CVD is over 18 billion dollars a year. Additionally, the morbidity associated with CVD cost California and the nation billions of dollars a year. Therefore, alternative strategies to treat end stage heart failure and ischemia are needed. (Source: American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Facts, 2004, Dallas, TX: AHA 2004; American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2006 Update, Dallas, TX: AHA 2006).
The field of regenerative medicine is important to California and the nation. Advances in the technology to find cell based therapies will be revolutionary in their impact on patient care. Human embryonic stem (hES) cells have the potential to become all of the cells in the human body, and their unique properties give researchers the hope that from these primitive cells new therapies can result that may be available in time for the looming health care crisis. This project is focused on a pre-clinical application of a specific hES cell based therapy for myocardial regeneration and an antibody targeting technology to direct stem cells to injured organs. This project will benefit California in several ways including: 1) support for UC trainees, 2) potential of developing important clinical trials in CA based on results from this proposal, and 3) enhancement of the biotechnology industry in CA which would lead to the creation of new jobs in CA and an enhanced tax base.
