Mesothelial cells vs. skeletal myoblasts for myocardial infarction.

Cell transplantation for the regeneration of ischemic myocardium is limited by poor graft viability and low cell retention. Omental flaps in association with growth factors and cell sheets have recently been used to increase the vascularization of ischemic hearts. This experimental study was undertaken to evaluate the hemodynamic evolution and histological modifications of infarcted myocardium treated with mesothelial cells, and to compare the results with those of hearts treated with skeletal myoblasts. Myocardial infarction was created by surgical ligature of 2 coronary branches in 34 sheep; 6 died immediately due to ventricular fibrillation. Mesothelial cells were isolated from greater omentum, and myoblasts from skeletal muscle. After expanding the cells for 3 weeks, infarcted areas were treated with culture medium (control group), mesothelial cells, or myoblasts. After 3 months, echocardiographic studies showed significant limitation of ventricular dilatation and improved ejection fractions in both cell-treated groups compared to the controls. In the mesothelial cell group, histological studies showed significantly more angiogenesis and arteriogenesis than in the control and skeletal myoblast groups. Mesothelial cells might be useful for biological revascularization in patients with ischemic heart disease.