Abstract:

Objective     To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transp1antation on the model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and observe the survived and transformed MSCs in PAH after 3weeks. Methods      MSCs were isolated, cultured from bone marrow of SD rats, and stained with CMDiI fluoresence dye in vitro. The rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=10): MSCs group, nontreatment group (PAH group) and control group. PAH model was induced by subcutaneous injection of MCT in MSCs and PAH groups, the rats of control group were injected with normal saline instead of MCT. One week after the MCT administration, MSCs were injected through ranine vein into the rats in MSCs group. At the same time, the rats in PAH and control groups were injected with low-glucose DMEM. Three weeks after the injection, the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell survival and transformation were observed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy and the elevation of RV systolic pressure (RVSP) were evaluated. Result     Immunofluorescence and histochemical results confirmed that transplanted MSCs were still alive after 3 weeks, and parts of them appeared to differentiate into pulmonary vascular endothelial cells. Compared with PAH group, RV hypertrophy and RVSP weresignificantly decreased. Conclusion      Intravenous implantation of MSCs can significantly reduce or even reverse the progression of MCTinduced pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve the cardiac function and hemodynamics. The mechanism may be attributed to the paracrine effects.

Key words: Mesenchymal stem cells; Transplantation; Pulmonary arterial hypertension; Right ventricular impairments