Mesoangioblasts at 20: From the embryonic aorta to the patient bed.

In 2002 we published an article describing a population of vessel-associated progenitors that we termed mesoangioblasts (MABs). During the past decade evidence had accumulated that during muscle development and regeneration things may be more complex than a simple sequence of binary choices (e.g., dorsal vs. ventral somite). LacZ expressing fibroblasts could fuse with unlabelled myoblasts but not among themselves or with other cell types. Bone marrow derived, circulating progenitors were able to participate in muscle regeneration, though in very small percentage. Searching for the embryonic origin of these progenitors, we identified them as originating at least in part from the embryonic aorta and, at later stages, from the microvasculature of skeletal muscle. While continuing to investigate origin and fate of MABs, the fact that they could be expanded in vitro (also from human muscle) and cross the vessel wall, suggested a protocol for the cell therapy of muscular dystrophies. We tested this protocol in mice and dogs before proceeding to the first clinical trial on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients that showed safety but minimal efficacy. In the last years, we have worked to overcome the problem of low engraftment and tried to understand their role as auxiliary myogenic progenitors during development and regeneration.

PlGF-MMP-9-expressing cells restore microcirculation and efficacy of cell therapy in aged dystrophic muscle.

Sclerosis and reduced microvessel density characterize advanced stages of muscular dystrophy and hamper cell or gene delivery, precluding treatment of most individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Modified tendon fibroblasts expressing an angiogenic factor (placenta growth factor, PlGF) and a metalloproteinase (matrix metalloproteinase-9, MMP-9) are able to restore a vascular network and reduce collagen deposition, allowing efficient cell therapy in aged dystrophic mice. These data open the possibility of extending new therapies to currently untreatable individuals.

Allogeneic mesoangioblasts give rise to alpha-sarcoglycan expressing fibers when transplanted into dystrophic mice.

Cell therapy for muscular dystrophy involves transplantation of either genetically modified autologous cells or normal donor cells that will be rejected unless the host is adequately immune suppressed. The extent of the immune response appears to be mitigated in this case of stem cells, by immune-suppressive and tolerogenic molecules that they release. We previously reported significant morphological and functional amelioration of a mouse model of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy by transplantation of mesoangioblasts. These are vessel-associated stem cells that can be propagated in vitro and differentiate into several types of mesoderm including skeletal muscle. In these experiments, both donor cells and host were syngeneic (C57Bl/6J) and thus possible immune reaction to the donor cells could not be appreciated. To address this question, we transplanted H2-mismatched mesoangioblasts (BalbC) in the same dystrophic mice, and in addition, we treated the host with different pharmacological drugs (rapamycin, IL-10 or both). The results showed that donor cells give rise to fibers that express the mutated gene product (alpha-sarcoglycan) even in the absence of immune suppression; however, the combined action of rapamycin and IL-10 increases the number of alpha-sarcoglycan expressing fibers while reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines. These results indicate that transplantation of mesoangioblasts into immunologically unrelated host leads to long-term survival of donor cells and this may be further enhanced by appropriate protocols of immune modulation, thus setting the stage for experimentation in large animals and in patients.

Isolation and expansion of adult cardiac stem cells from human and murine heart.

Cardiac myocytes have been traditionally regarded as terminally differentiated cells that adapt to increased work and compensate for disease exclusively through hypertrophy. However, in the past few years, compelling evidence has accumulated suggesting that the heart has regenerative potential. Recent studies have even surmised the existence of resident cardiac stem cells, endothelial cells generating cardiomyocytes by cell contact or extracardiac progenitors for cardiomyocytes, but these findings are still controversial. We describe the isolation of undifferentiated cells that grow as self-adherent clusters (that we have termed "cardiospheres") from subcultures of postnatal atrial or ventricular human biopsy specimens and from murine hearts. These cells are clonogenic, express stem and endothelial progenitor cell antigens/markers, and appear to have the properties of adult cardiac stem cells. They are capable of long-term self-renewal and can differentiate in vitro and after ectopic (dorsal subcutaneous connective tissue) or orthotopic (myocardial infarction) transplantation in SCID beige mouse to yield the major specialized cell types of the heart: myocytes (ie, cells demonstrating contractile activity and/or showing cardiomyocyte markers) and vascular cells (ie, cells with endothelial or smooth muscle markers).

Myogenic potential of mouse primordial germ cells.

Primordial germ cells are the only stem cells that retain true developmental totipotency after gastrulation, express markers typical of totipotent/pluripotent status and are able both in vivo and in vitro to give rise to pluripotent stem cells as EC and EG cells. We have therefore explored the possibility of the trans-differentiation of mouse PGCs to a myogenic lineage by transplanting them directly or after in vitro culture into a regenerating muscle and by culturing them on monolayers of differentianting muscle cells. The results obtained suggest that mouse PGCs may trans-differentiate into myogenic cells, provided that their somatic environment is preserved. This occurs at an estimated frequency of 0.01%, which is no higher than that reported for stem cells of adult tissues.