Cardiovascular regenerative therapies are pursued on both basic and translational levels. Although efficacy and value of cell therapy for myocardial regeneration can be debated, there is a consensus that profound deficits in mechanistic understanding limit advances, optimization, and implementation. In collaboration with the TACTICS (Transnational Alliance for Regenerative Therapies in Cardiovascular Syndromes), this review overviews several pivotal aspects of biological processes impinging on cardiac maintenance, repair, and regeneration. The goal of summarizing current mechanistic understanding is to prompt innovative directions for fundamental studies delineating cellular reparative and regenerative processes. Empowering myocardial regenerative interventions, whether dependent on endogenous processes or exogenously delivered repair agents, ultimately depends on mastering mechanisms and novel strategies that take advantage of rather than being limited by inherent myocardial biology. (Circ Res.

Rationale The relative actions and synergism between distinct myocardial-derived stem cell populations remains obscure. Ongoing debates regarding optimal cell population(s) for treatment of heart failure prompted implementation of a protocol for isolation of multiple stem cell populations from a single myocardial tissue sample to develop new insights for achieving myocardial regeneration. Objective Establish a robust cardiac stem cell isolation and culture protocol to consistently generate three distinct stem cell populations from a single human heart biopsy. Methods and Results Isolation of three endogenous cardiac stem cell populations was performed from human heart samples routinely discarded during implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Tissue explants were mechanically minced into 1 mm3 pieces to minimize time exposure to collagenase digestion and preserve cell viability. Centrifugation removes large cardiomyocytes (CMs) and tissue debris producing a single cell suspension that is sorted using magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) technology. Initial sorting is based upon c-Kit expression that enriches for two c-kit+ cell populations yielding a mixture of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Flow through c-Kit− mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are positively selected by surface expression of markers CD90 and CD105. After one week of culture the c-Kit+ population is further enriched by selection for a CD133+ EPC population. Persistence of respective cell surface markers in vitro is confirmed both by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. Conclusions Three distinct cardiac cell populations with individualized phenotypic properties consistent with CPCs, EPCs and MSCs can be successfully concurrently isolated and expanded from a single tissue sample derived from human heart failure patients.

Senescence-associated dysfunction deleteriously affects biological activities of human c-Kit + cardiac progenitor cells (hCPCs), particularly under conditions of in vitro culture. In comparison, preservation of self-renewal and decreases in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) are characteristics of murine CPCs in vivo that reside within hypoxic niches. Recapitulating hypoxic niche oxygen tension conditions of $1% O 2 in vitro for expansion of hCPCs rather than typical normoxic cell culture conditions (21% O 2 ) could provide significant improvement of functional and biological activities of hCPCs. hCPCs were isolated and expanded under permanent hypoxic (hCPC-1%) or normoxic (hCPC-21%) conditions from left ventricular tissue explants collected during left ventricular assist device implantation. hCPC-1% exhibit increased self-renewal and suppression of senescence characteristics relative to hCPC-21%. Oxidative stress contributed to higher susceptibility to apoptosis, as well as decreased mitochondrial function in hCPC-21%. Hypoxia prevented accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria, supporting higher oxygen consumption rates and mitochondrial membrane potential. Mitochondrial ROS was an upstream mediator of senescence since treatment of hCPC-1% with mitochondrial inhibitor antimycin A recapitulated mitochondrial dysfunction and senescence observed in hCPC-21%. NAD + /NADH ratio and autophagic flux, which are key factors for mitochondrial function, were higher in hCPC-1%, but hCPC-21% were highly dependent on BNIP3/NIX-mediated mitophagy to maintain mitochondrial function. Overall, results demonstrate that supraphysiological oxygen tension during in vitro expansion initiates a downward spiral of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular energy imbalance culminating in early proliferation arrest of hCPCs. Senescence is inhibited by preventing ROS through hypoxic culture of hCPCs. STEM CELLS 2019;37:555-567 SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTHuman c-Kit + cardiac progenitor cell (hCPC) biological function is hampered by limited expansion potential and early replicative senescence. Permanent hypoxia (1% O 2 ) preserved clonogenicity and mitochondrial function of hCPCs derived from heart failure patients while maintaining high levels of intracellular NAD + /NADH ratio and suppressing reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress. Figure 7. Long-term hypoxic culture preserves human c-Kit + cardiac progenitor cell (hCPC) mitochondrial function and inhibits senescence. (A): Schematic of feed-forward cycle of oxidative damage on hCPC-21% that leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and senescence in normoxic culture. The cycle is rescued by hypoxic culture of hCPCs. (B): Illustration of hypoxic and normoxic isolation and expansion strategies and respective outcomes on either hCPC-1% or hCPC-21%.

c-Kit myocardial biology is more complex and varied than previously appreciated or documented, demonstrating validity in multiple points of coexisting yet heretofore seemingly irreconcilable published findings.

Background Myocardial infarction is followed by cardiac dysfunction, cellular death, and ventricular remodeling, including tissue fibrosis. S100A4 protein plays multiple roles in cellular survival, and tissue fibrosis, but the relative role of the S100A4 in the myocardium after myocardial infarction is unknown. This study aims to investigate the role of S100A4 in myocardial remodeling and cardiac function following infarct damage. Methods and results S100A4 expression is low in the adult myocardium, but significantly increased following myocardial infarction. Deletion of S100A4 increased cardiac damage after myocardial infarction, whereas cardiac myocyte-specific overexpression of S100A4 protected the infarcted myocardium. Decreased cardiac function in S100A4 Knockout mice was accompanied with increased cardiac remodeling, fibrosis, and diminished capillary density in the remote myocardium. Loss of S100A4 caused increased apoptotic cell death both in vitro and in vivo in part mediated by decreased VEGF expression. Conversely, S100A4 overexpression protected cells against apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Increased pro-survival AKT-signaling explained reduced apoptosis in S100A4 overexpressing cells. Conclusion S100A4 expression protects cardiac myocytes against myocardial ischemia and is required for stabilization of cardiac function after MI.

Rationale Autologous stem cell therapy using human c-Kit+ cardiac progenitor cells (hCPCs) is a promising therapeutic approach for treatment of heart failure (HF). However, hCPCs derived from aged HF patients with genetic predispositions and/or comorbidities of chronic diseases exhibit poor proliferative and migratory capabilities, which impairs overall reparative potential for injured myocardium. Therefore, empowering functionally compromised hCPCs with pro-regenerative molecules ex vivo is crucial for improving the therapeutic outcome in HF patients. Objective To improve hCPC proliferation and migration responses that are critical for regeneration by targeting pro-regenerative P2Y2 nucleotide receptor (P2Y2R) activated by extracellular ATP and UTP molecules released following injury/stress. Methods and Results c-Kit+ hCPCs were isolated from cardiac tissue of HF patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation surgery. Correlations between P2 nucleotide receptor expression and hCPC growth kinetics revealed downregulation of select P2 receptors, including P2Y2R, in slow-growing hCPCs compared to fast-growers. hCPC proliferation and migration significantly improved by overexpressing or stimulating P2Y2R. Mechanistically, P2Y2R-induced proliferation and migration were dependent upon activation of yes-associated protein (YAP), the downstream effector of Hippo signaling pathway. Conclusions Proliferation and migration of functionally impaired hCPCs are enhanced by P2Y2R-mediated YAP activation, revealing a novel link between extracellular nucleotides released during injury/stress and Hippo signaling, a central regulator of cardiac regeneration. Functional correlations exist between hCPC phenotypic properties and P2 purinergic receptor expression. Lack of P2Y2R and other crucial purinergic stress detectors could compromise hCPC responsiveness to presence of extracellular stress signals. These findings set the stage for subsequent studies to assess purinergic signaling modulation as a potential strategy to improve therapeutic outcome for use of hCPCs in HF patients.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and one of the most lethal human cancers. Inflammation is a critical component in PDAC initiation and progression. Inflammation also contributes to the aggressiveness of PDAC indirectly via induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), altogether leading to enhanced resistance to chemotherapy and poor survival rates. This review gives an overview of the key pro-inflammatory signaling pathways involved in PDAC pathogenesis and discusses the role of inflammation in induction of EMT and development of chemoresistance in patients with PDAC.

Aims Telomere attrition in cardiomyocytes is associated with decreased contractility, cellular senescence, and up-regulation of proapoptotic transcription factors. Pim1 is a cardioprotective kinase that antagonizes the aging phenotype of cardiomyocytes and delays cellular senescence by maintaining telomere length, but the mechanism remains unknown. Another pathway responsible for regulating telomere length is the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signalling pathway where inhibiting TGFβ signalling maintains telomere length. The relationship between Pim1 and TGFβ has not been explored. This study delineates the mechanism of telomere length regulation by the interplay between Pim1 and components of TGFβ signalling pathways in proliferating A549 cells and post-mitotic cardiomyocytes. Methods and results Telomere length was maintained by lentiviral-mediated overexpression of PIM1 and inhibition of TGFβ signalling in A549 cells. Telomere length maintenance was further demonstrated in isolated cardiomyocytes from mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of PIM1 and by pharmacological inhibition of TGFβ signalling. Mechanistically, Pim1 inhibited phosphorylation of Smad2, preventing its translocation into the nucleus and repressing expression of TGFβ pathway genes. Conclusion Pim1 maintains telomere lengths in cardiomyocytes by inhibiting phosphorylation of the TGFβ pathway downstream effectors Smad2 and Smad3, which prevents repression of telomerase reverse transcriptase. Findings from this study demonstrate a novel mechanism of telomere length maintenance and provide a potential target for preserving cardiac function.