Early combined treatment with sildenafil and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells preserves heart function in rat dilated cardiomyopathy | Lin et al. Journal of Translational Medicine 2010 8 88 http content 8 1 88 RESEARCH JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE Open Access Early combined treatment with sildenafil and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells preserves heart function in rat dilated cardiomyopathy Yu-Chun Lin1 2t Steve Leu1 2 Cheuk-Kwan Sun3t Chia-Hung Yen4 Ying-Hsien Kao5 Li-Teh Chang6 Tzu-Hsien Tsai1 11 7 1 8t Sarah Chua Morgan Fu Sheung-Fat Ko Chiung-Jen Wu Fan-Yen Lee Hon-Kan Yip Abstract Background We investigated whether early combined autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell ADMSC and sildenafil therapy offers an additive benefit in preserving heart function in rat dilated cardiomyopathy DCM . Methods Adult Lewis rats n 8 per group were divided into group 1 normal control group 2 saline-treated DCM rats group 3 X 106 ADMSC implanted into left ventricular LV myocardium of DCM rats group 4 DCM rats with sildenafil 30 mg kg day orally and group 5 DCM rats with combined ADMSC-sildenafil . Treatment was started 1 week after DCM induction and the rats were sacrificed on day 90. Results The results showed that mitochondrial protein expressions of connexin43 and cytochrome-C were lowest in group 2 and lower in groups 3 and 4 than in group 5 p . Conversely oxidative index was highest in group 2 and also higher in groups 3 and 4 than in group 5 p . The mRNA expressions of interleukin IL -10 Gro IL-8 endothelial nitric oxide synthase and Bcl-2 were lowest in group 2 and lower in groups 3 and 4 compared with group 5 p . The mRNA expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-9 Bax caspase 3 and stromal-cell derived factor-1a were highest in group 2 and higher in groups 3 and 4 than in group 5 p . Apoptosis and fibrosis in LV myocardium were most prominent in group 2 and higher in groups 3 and 4 than in group 5 whereas angiogenesis and LV ejection fraction were lowest in group 2 and lower in groups 3 and 4 than in group 5 p . .
