Histone Deacetylase Inhibition Enhances Self Renewal and Cardioprotection by Human Cord Blood-Derived CD34.sup.+ Cells

Use of peripheral blood- or bone marrow-derived progenitors for ischemic heart repair is a feasible option to induce neo-vascularization in ischemic tissues. These cells, named Endothelial Progenitors Cells (EPCs), have been extensively characterized phenotypically and functionally. The clinical efficacy of cardiac repair by EPCs cells remains, however, limited, due to cell autonomous defects as a consequence of risk factors. The devise of "enhancement" strategies has been therefore sought to improve repair ability of these cells and increase the clinical benefit. Our results show that HDAC blockade leads to phenotype changes in CD34.sup.+ cells with enhanced self renewal and cardioprotection.