Stem Cell-Based Therapies in Chagasic Cardiomyopathy

Biomed Res Int. 2015:2015:436314. doi: 10.1155/2015/436314. Epub 2015 Jun 15.

Abstract

Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and can lead to a dilated cardiomyopathy decades after the prime infection by the parasite. As with other dilated cardiomyopathies, conventional pharmacologic therapies are not always effective and as heart failure progresses patients need heart transplantation. Therefore alternative therapies are highly desirable and cell-based therapies have been investigated in preclinical and clinical studies. In this paper we review the main findings of such studies and discuss future directions for stem cell-based therapies in chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chagas Cardiomyopathy / therapy*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Translational Research, Biomedical