Ex vivo delivered stromal cell-derived factor-1α promotes stem cell homing and induces angiomyogenesis in the infarcted myocardium

Abstract We aimed to optimize non-viral transfection of human stromal cell derived factor (SDF-1α) gene into skeletal myoblasts (SkM) and, transplant these cells to establish transient SDF-1α gradient to favor extra-cardiac stem cell translocation into infarcted heart. Optimized conditions for transfection of SDF-1α gene into syngenic SkM were achieved using FuGene™6/phSDF-1α (3:2v/w, 4 h transfection) with 125 μM ZnCl 2 ( p n  = 12/group) to receive 70 μl DMEM without cells (group-1) or containing 1.5 × 10 6 non-transfected (group-2) or SDF-1α transfected SkM (group-3). On day 4 post-transplantation (in 4 animals/group), marked expression of SDF-1α/ sry -gene ( p  = 0.003), total Akt, phospho-Akt and Bcl2 was observed in group-3. The number of CD31 + , C-kit + and CD34 + cells was highest in group-3 hearts ( p p p ex vivo SDF-1α transgene delivery promotes stem and progenitor cell migration to the heart, activates cell survival signaling and enhances angiomyogenesis in the infarcted heart.