Myocardial CXCR4 Expression Is Required for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Mediated Repair Following Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background—Overexpression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 in injured tissue leads to improved end-organ function. In this study, we quantify the local trophic effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) stromal cell-derived factor-1 release on the effects of MSC engraftment in the myocardium after acute myocardial infarction. Methods and Results—Conditional cardiac myocyte CXCR4 (CM-CXCR4) null mice were generated by use of tamoxifen-inducible cardiac-specific cre by crossing CXCR4 floxed with MCM-cre mouse. Studies were performed in littermates with (CM-CXCR4 null) or without (control) tamoxifen injection 3 weeks before acute myocardial infarction. One day after acute myocardial infarction, mice received 100 000 MSC or saline via tail vein. We show α-myosin heavy chain MerCreMer and the MLC-2v promoters are active in cardiac progenitor cells. MSC engraftment in wild-type mice decreased terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase–mediated dUTP nick-end labeling positive CM (−44%, P<0.01), increased cardiac progenito...