Bone marrow progenitor cells contribute to repair and remodeling of the lung and heart in a rat model of progressive pulmonary hypertension

FASEB J. 2008 Apr;22(4):1226-36. doi: 10.1096/fj.07-8076com. Epub 2007 Nov 21.

Abstract

Infusion of bone marrow stem or progenitor cells may provide powerful therapies for injured tissues such as the lung and heart. We examined the potential of bone marrow-derived (BMD) progenitor cells to contribute to repair and remodeling of lung and heart in a rat monocrotaline (MCT) model of pulmonary hypertension. Bone marrow from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic male rats was transplanted into GFP-negative female rats. The chimeric animals were injected with MCT to produce pulmonary hypertension. Significant numbers of male GFP-positive BMD cells engrafted in the lungs of MCT-treated rats. Microarray analyses and double-immunohistochemistry demonstrated that many of the cells were interstitial fibroblasts or myofibroblasts, some of the cells were hematopoietic cells, and some were pulmonary epithelial cells (Clara cells), vascular endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells. A few BMD cells fused with pulmonary cells from the host, but the frequency was low. In the hypertrophied hearts of MCT-treated rats, we found a significant increase in the relative numbers of BMD cells in the right ventricle wall as compared with the left ventricle. Some of the BMD cells in the right ventricle were vascular cells and cardiomyocytes. We report BMD cardiomyocytes with a normal chromosome number, fusion of BMD cells with host cardiomyocytes, and, in some cases, nuclear fusion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / analysis
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Heart / physiology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / chemically induced
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / pathology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / therapy*
  • Lung / cytology*
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Male
  • Monocrotaline
  • Myocardium / cytology*
  • Rats
  • Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Wound Healing*

Substances

  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Monocrotaline