Objective To explore the effect of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac progenitor cells trans
plantation on acute myocardial infarction in rats. Methods Immunofluorescence staining was used to identify the pluripotency
of human induced pluripotent stem cells, and GiWi method was used to differentiate them into cardiac progenitor cells in vitro,
and then they were further differentiated into cardiomyocytes. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining were used to
evaluate the differentiation efficiency and morphology of the obtained cardiac progenitor cells and cardiomyocytes. The rat model
of acute myocardial infarction was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. TTC staining and echo
cardiography were used to evaluate the model. Cardiac progenitor cells were transplanted into the marginal area of myocardial
infarction, and cardiac function was detected by echocardiography at 1 week and 4 weeks after operation. HE and Masson stain
ing were used to evaluate the size of infarct area and the degree of fibrosis. Immunofluorescence staining was used to evaluate the
survival and differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells in vivo. Results The stem markers OCT4, SOX2, Nanog and Tra-1-60
were highly expressed in human induced pluripotent stem cells. The in vitro differentiation efficiency of cardiac progenitor cells
was as high as 77.8%, expressing Isl1, a specific marker of cardiac progenitor cells. It can further differentiate into cardiomyo
cytes with an efficiency of 83.3%, and high expression of cTnT, α-actinin and other myocardial specific markers. The rat model
of acute myocardial infarction was successfully established. TTC staining showed that the infarct area was white and the left ven
tricular ejection fraction was decreased. At 4 weeks after transplantation, compared with the model group, the cardiac function of
the cell group was improved, ventricular dilatation was weakened, and fibrosis was alleviated. The transplanted cells survived in
vivo and differentiated into cardiomyocytes. Conclusion Cardiac progenitor cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem
cells have high differentiation efficiency in vitro, can survive and differentiate into cardiomyocytes after transplantation in vivo,
inhibit ventricular remodeling and improve cardiac function.
