Reversal of myocardial injury using genetically modulated human skeletal myoblasts in a rodent cryoinjured heart model

Background: We hypothesized that combination therapy using human myoblasts and VEGF165 will lead to better prognosis in a failing heart. Methods: Forty‐eight female Wistar rats with cryoinjured hearts were randomized into non‐treated normal (group‐1, n=12), DMEM injected (group‐2, n=10), myoblast‐transplanted (group‐3, n=12) and myoblast–hVEGF165 (group‐4, n=14). Ten days after cryoinjury, 200 μl DMEM containing 3 × 106 cells or without cells was injected into the injured myocardium. Animals were maintained on cyclosporine for 6 weeks post cell transplantation. Heart function was assessed by echocardiography. Animals were sacrificed and hearts were processed for histochemical and immunohistochemical studies. Results: Histological examination showed survival of the donor myoblasts expressing lac‐z and hVEGF165 in rat cardiac tissue. Fluorescent immunostaining for vWillebrand Factor‐VIII and smooth muscle actin expression at low power microscope (× 100) showed significantly higher blood vessel density in group‐4 (31.25±1.82; 24.63±0.92) as compared to group‐2 (13.29±1.0; p