Statins and stem cell modulation

Abstract

Stem cell-based therapy is a promising option for the treatment of ischemic heart diseases. As to a successful stem cell-based therapy, one of the most important issues is that the stable engraftment and survival of implanted stem cells in cardiac microenvironment. There are evidences suggest that pharmacological treatment devoted to regulate stem cell function might represent a potential new therapeutic strategy and are drawing nearer to becoming a part of treatment in clinical settings. Statins could exert cholesterol-independent or pleiotropic effects to cardiovascular system. Recent studies have shown that statins could modulate the biological characteristics and function of various stem cells, thus could be an effective method to facilitate stem cell therapy. This review will focus on statins and their modulation effects on various stem cells.