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

Abstract

These data demonstrate that the local trophic effects of MSC require cardiac progenitor cell and CM-CXCR4 expression and are mediated by MSC stromal cell-derived factor-1 secretion. Our results further demonstrate and quantify for the first time a specific paracrine mechanism of MSC engraftment. In the absence of CM-CXCR4 expression, there is a significant loss of functional benefit in MSC-mediated repair despite equal increases in vascular density.