Objective: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of intravenous implanted bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BM-EPC) preconditioned with 17β-estradiol in ovariectomized mice model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
Methods: BM-EPC were cultured and identified from ovariectomized BALB/C mice tibia and femur. The ovariectomized BALB/C mice models of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were established, and randomly divided into 17β-estradiol + BM-EPC group (n = 6), BM-EPC group (n = 6) and control group (n = 6). Three days after AMI, BM-EPC pretreated with or without 17β-estradiol was infused via tail vein. The equal volume of saline was infused in control group. Twenty-five days after infusion, left ventricular (LV) function and dimensions, capillary density and ratio of fibrosis area to LV area were measured.
Results: LV function and dimensions, capillary density and LV fibrosis were significantly improved in 17β-estradiol + BM-EPC group than in control group [(LVDs: (3.09 ± 0.05) mm vs. (3.27 ± 0.10)mm, P < 0.05; LVDd: (4.18 ± 0.07) mm vs. (4.31 ± 0.05) mm, P < 0.05; FS: (33.0 ± 3.8)% vs. (26.0 ± 3.2)%, P < 0.05; capillary density: (1428 ± 214)/mm² vs. (1070 ± 168)/mm², P < 0.05; ratio of fibrosis: (38.8 ± 4.9)% vs. (49.0 ± 4.6)%, P < 0.05]. However, Above mentioned parameters were similar between BM-EPC group and control group (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: BM-EPC preconditioned with 17β-estradiol can enhance capillary density, decrease LV fibrosis and improve cardiac function in this mice model of AMI.