US20130142762A1 - Methods of cardiac repair - Google Patents

Methods of cardiac repair Download PDF

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US20130142762A1
US20130142762A1 US13/671,396 US201213671396A US2013142762A1 US 20130142762 A1 US20130142762 A1 US 20130142762A1 US 201213671396 A US201213671396 A US 201213671396A US 2013142762 A1 US2013142762 A1 US 2013142762A1
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cells
cdx2
cell
cardiac
heart
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Hina W. Chaudhry
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Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Priority to US15/662,755 priority patent/US20170333487A1/en
Priority to US16/693,998 priority patent/US11963983B2/en
Assigned to ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI reassignment ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CHAUDHRY, HINA
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K35/00—Medicinal preparations containing materials or reaction products thereof with undetermined constitution
    • A61K35/12—Materials from mammals; Compositions comprising non-specified tissues or cells; Compositions comprising non-embryonic stem cells; Genetically modified cells
    • A61K35/48—Reproductive organs
    • A61K35/50—Placenta; Placental stem cells; Amniotic fluid; Amnion; Amniotic stem cells
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K35/00—Medicinal preparations containing materials or reaction products thereof with undetermined constitution
    • A61K35/12—Materials from mammals; Compositions comprising non-specified tissues or cells; Compositions comprising non-embryonic stem cells; Genetically modified cells
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system

Definitions

  • MI myocardial infarction
  • Myocardial infarctions result in an immediate depression in ventricular function and the infarctions may expand, thereby causing ventricular remodeling. In many patients, progressive myocardial infarct expansion and ventricular remodeling leads to deterioration of ventricular function and heart failure.
  • a myocardial infarction occurs when a coronary artery becomes occluded and can no longer supply blood to the myocardial tissue.
  • MI myocardial infarction
  • the myocardial tissue that is no longer receiving adequate blood flow dies and is replaced with scar tissue.
  • the under-perfused myocardial cells no longer contract, leading to abnormal wall motion, high wall stresses within and surrounding the infarct, and depressed ventricular function.
  • the infarct expansion and ventricular remodeling are caused by these high stresses at the junction between the infarcted tissue and the normal myocardium. These high stresses eventually kill or severely depress function in the still viable myocardial cells.
  • a wave of dysfunctional tissue expands from the original myocardial infarct region.
  • infarcted tissue and the myocardium or cardiac tissue undergo three major processes: infarct expansion, infarct extension, and ventricular remodeling.
  • the magnitude of the responses and the clinical significance relates to the size and location of the myocardial infarction (Weisman and Healy, “Myocardial Infarct Expansion, Infarct Extension, and Reinfarction: Pathophysiological Concepts”, Progress in Cardiovascular Disease 1987; 30:73-110; Kelley et al., “Restraining Infarct Expansion Preserves Left Ventricular Geometry and Function After Acute Anteroapical Infarction,” Circulation 1999, 99: 135-142).
  • Myocardial infarctions that destroy a higher percentage of the normal myocardium, and myocardial infarctions that are located anteriorly on the heart generally become clinically significant.
  • compositions and methods can be used in various clinical applications.
  • composition comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for increasing cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for treating myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for inducing cardiac regeneration, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • the composition increases cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, when administered to a subject.
  • the composition treats myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy when administered to a subject.
  • One aspect of the invention is directed to a method for restoring cardiac function.
  • an effective amount of a composition that includes Cdx2 stem cells and/or Cdx2 progenitor cells is introduced into the heart of a subject in need thereof.
  • the Cdx2 cells can be an isolated Cdx2 cell population. In one embodiment, such cells are isolated from placental tissue.
  • the composition may also include various pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or adjuvants as described herein.
  • Another aspect provided herein is a method for restoring cardiac function comprising introducing an effective amount of a composition cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier into a heart of a subject in need thereof, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C . Also provided herein is a method of inducing cardiomyocyte regeneration, cardiac repair, vasculogenesis or cardiomyocyte differentiation, comprising contacting cells with injured heart tissue, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta. In another embodiment, the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells. In another embodiment, the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • a subject upon which the methods of the invention are to be performed will have been diagnosed with myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • a subject upon which the methods of the invention are performed is at risk for myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy based on assessment of the heart tissue and/or family history.
  • a subject has been diagnosed with myocardial infarction or at risk for heart failure.
  • compositions described herein may be implanted into cardiac tissue of the subject.
  • implantation can be via injection delivery or catheter-delivery.
  • the cardiac tissue into which the composition is introduced can be myocardium, endocardium, epicardium, connective tissue in the heart, or nervous tissue in the heart.
  • the subject is an animal (e.g., a mammal) such as, for example, a human, a rodent (e.g., mice, rats, etc.), a primate (e.g., a gorilla, a chimpanzee, an orangutan, a monkey, etc.), a veterinary animal (e.g., a horse, a bull, a cow, a sheep, a pig, etc.), a domestic animal (e.g., a dog, a cat, etc.), a reptile, avians (e.g., chickens or turkeys, etc.), or any other animal in need of such treatment.
  • a mammal such as, for example, a human, a rodent (e.g., mice, rats, etc.), a primate (e.g., a gorilla, a chimpanzee, an orangutan, a monkey, etc.), a veterinary animal (e.g., a horse,
  • the cell population increases cardiomyocyte formation, increases cardiomyocyte proliferation, increases cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increases mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increases myofilament density, increases borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof.
  • compositions including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the preparation of a medicament for inducing cardiac regeneration.
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, and further express Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • the composition increases cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, when administered to a subject.
  • the composition treats myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy when administered to a subject.
  • compositions including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the preparation of a medicament to increase cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, and further express Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the preparation of a medicament for treating myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • compositions including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for inducing cardiac regeneration.
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, and further express Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • the composition increases cardiomyocyte formation, increases cardiomyocyte proliferation, increases cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increases mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increases myofilament density, increases borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, when administered to a subject.
  • the composition treats myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy when administered to a subject.
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, and further express Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, and further express Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions described herein may contain, for example, from about 1 ⁇ 10 8 to about 1 ⁇ 10 2 cells. Compositions may also contain, for example, from about 1 ⁇ 10 6 to about 1 ⁇ 10 5 cells. In one embodiment where additional cells are present in the composition, the amount of cells in the composition will generally contain about 1 ⁇ 10 8 to about 1 ⁇ 10 2 Cdx2 cells. In another embodiment, where additional cells are present in the composition, the composition will generally contain about 1 ⁇ 10 6 to about 1 ⁇ 10 5 Cdx2 cells.
  • a mouse model to study myocardial infarction and the role of fetal cells in treatment of cardiac injury.
  • the model comprises (1) mating wild-type female mice with eGFP positive male mice to form eGFP positive fetuses; (2) inducing myocardial infarction in the pregnant mice at E12 days; (3) assessing maternal hearts for eGFP positive cells, wherein the presence of eGFP positive cells indicates migration of fetal cells to the material heart and/or assessing one or more symptoms of myocardial infarction.
  • eGFP positive cells have differentiated and have formed endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and/or cardiomyocytes.
  • FIGS. 1A-D Experimental model and tracking of eGFP+ fetal cells in maternal heart.
  • FIG. 1A Schematic of the experimental protocol.
  • FIG. 1B Mice were sacrificed at several time points for molecular and cellular analyses to track eGFP+ cells in maternal hearts and assess their differentiation pathways.
  • FIGS. 1C-D Quantitative PCR demonstrates significantly greater levels of eGFP expression in pregnant mice subjected to cardiac injury ⁇ (1 week: 120.0 ⁇ 17.0; FIG. 1C ) (2 weeks: 12.0 ⁇ 1.6; FIG.
  • FIG. 2 Fetal cells differentiate into diverse cardiac lineages after homing to maternal heart. Mean intensities of the spectral profiles from ROIs 1-6 where ROIs 1, 2, and 6 are control areas and ROIs 3, 4, and 5 represent eGFP+ cells.
  • FIGS. 3A-B Fetal cells exhibit clonality and undergo cardiac differentiation in a fusion-independent manner.
  • FIG. 3A Single cell sorting of eGFP+ fetal cells from maternal hearts into 96-well plates demonstrates clonal expansion with a clonal efficiency of ⁇ 8.3% on feeder cell layers made with WT neonatal cardiomyocytes.
  • FIG. 3B The number of cells on each day after initial plating is provided for each sample.
  • FIGS. 4A-C Fetal cells selectively home to injured maternal hearts and not to non-injured organs; fetal cells express various stem cell markers, including Cdx2.
  • FIG. 4A eGFP+ cells were sorted from cell suspensions prepared from various organs and tissues.
  • FIG. 4C Mean percentages of fetal cells plus s.e.m.
  • FIGS. 5A-C Fetal cells selectively homing to injured maternal hearts express various stem cell markers, including Cdx2.
  • FIG. 5A eGFP+ fetal cells were sorted from maternal hearts one week after injury. Percentages of eGFP+ cells expressing various stem/progenitor cell surface markers and transcription factors were quantitated using FACS analysis.
  • FIG. 5B Quantitation for each marker above was performed in triplicate and mean percentage plus s.e.m.
  • FIG. 5C eGFP+ cells were sorted from end-gestation placentas from three pregnant mice subjected to myocardial injury. RNA expression array of 92 pluripotency genes was performed; gene expression relative to GAPDH was plotted for genes with the highest expression levels. Of note, TS cell markers Cdx2 and Eomes are amongst genes with highest expression.
  • FIG. 6 Model depicting trafficking of cells from fetus across placenta into maternal circulation to injury and peri-injury zones of the maternal heart.
  • Cells of fetal origin engraft within maternal heart and give rise to diverse cardiac lineages including cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells.
  • FIG. 7 Negligible Nkx2.5 expression was observed in late term placenta of mouse with cardiac injury relative to positive control (E16.5 heart). Nkx2.5 expression by q-PCR above was plotted relative to Nkx2.5 expression in E16.5 heart.
  • FIG. 8 Absolute quantification of GFP cells in whole hearts of pregnant female mice mated with GFP-transgenic males is shown. Standard curves were generated for both GFP and ApoB by plotting CT values for different quantities of known amounts of DNA from GFP transgenic mice versus the DNA quantity in nanograms (ng). In the first row, data for the 2 weeks time point are presented; in the second row, data for the 1 week time point are presented.
  • FIG. 9 The results of Real time q-PCR. Nkx2.5 gene expression in late term placenta of mouse with cardiac injury are shown relative to the positive control (E16.5 mouse heart).
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a lentivirus with murine Cdx2 promoter driving expression of tdTomato that will be used for selecting Cdx2 cells from placenta tissues.
  • FIG. 10B illustrates a control lentivirus having the same backbone as in 10 A, but utilizing a CMV promoter to drive expression of tdTomato.
  • FIG. 10C illustrates flow cytometric analysis of lentivirual transduction in CT26. Wild type (WT) murine colon carcinoma cell line.
  • the studies described herein were inspired by the clinical observation that women with peripartum cardiomyopathy exhibit the highest rate of recovery amongst all known etiologies of heart failure.
  • the present inventors postulated that fetal cells may contribute to this recovery and, therefore, created a new mouse model of experimental cardiac injury in pregnant females carrying eGFP-tagged fetuses.
  • the present inventors determined for the first time that fetal cells selectively home (migrate) to injured maternal hearts and undergo differentiation into diverse cardiac lineages. Utilizing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP)-tagged fetuses, engraftment of multipotent fetal cells in injury zones of maternal hearts was demonstrated. In vivo, eGFP+ fetal cells were found to form endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes. In vitro, fetal cells isolated from maternal hearts recapitulate these differentiation pathways, additionally forming vascular tubes and beating cardiomyocytes in a fusion-independent manner. About 40% of fetal cells in the maternal heart were found to express Caudal-related homeobox2 (Cdx2).
  • Cdx2 Caudal-related homeobox2
  • Fetal maternal stem cell transfer was found to have an effect on maternal response to cardiac injury. Furthermore, Cdx2 cells were identified as a novel cell type for cardiovascular regenerative therapy.
  • fetal cells selectively home to injured heart tissue and undergo differentiation into diverse cardiac lineages in vivo and in vitro.
  • fetal cells When fetal cells are isolated from the maternal heart, they form beating cardiomyocytes in vitro, in addition to forming vascular tubes, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells.
  • vascular tubes vascular tubes
  • smooth muscle cells vascular tubes
  • endothelial cells Approximately 40% of the fetal cells entering the maternal heart are Cdx2-positive.
  • Cdx2 has previously been known as a marker of trophoblast stem (TS) cells that give rise to placenta but not other organs.
  • TS trophoblast stem
  • the present inventors were inspired by clinical observations that women with peripartum cardiomyopathy enjoy a high rate ( ⁇ 50%) of spontaneous recovery. This prompted the inventors to consider whether there may be a fetal or placental contribution to maternal cardiac repair.
  • the new mouse injury model presented herein cannot precisely represent peripartum cardiomyopathy, it is a model of fetal maternal cell transfer which is believed to have identified appropriate cell types for cardiac regeneration. Briefly, mid-gestation myocardial infarction was induced in pregnant female mice and they were sacrificed at various time points. Cells of fetal origin, marked by green fluorescent protein, homed to the injured areas of the heart, but not to non-injured areas.
  • Cdx2 Caudal-related homeobox2
  • TS trophoblast stem
  • Microchimerism results when two genetically disparate populations of cells appear in the same tissue, organ, or individual. This can be due to transfusion of blood products, organ transplantation, or pregnancy.
  • microchimerism derived from the bidirectional trafficking and stable long-term persistence of allogeneic fetal cells in the maternal host, a phenomenon that is common to many Eutheria.
  • Microchimeric cells can modify immunological recognition or tolerance, affect the course and outcome of various diseases, and demonstrate stem cell-like or regenerative properties.
  • Fetal-maternal transfer of nucleated cells during pregnancy involves multiple cell types, some possessing multi-lineage potential and these cells may appear transiently or persist for decades after delivery in some women
  • the long-term survival of fetal CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, CD34+ and CD38+ lymphoid progenitors, CD3+ and CD14+ mononuclear cells, CD19+ and IgM+B lymphocyte precursor cells, CD45+ cells, desmin+ and mesenchymal stem cells have been reported in maternal blood and tissues (Bianchi et al., 1996; Campagnoli et al., 2001; Fujiki et al., 2009; Khosrotehrani et al., 2008; Mikhail et al., 2008; Nguyen Huu et al., 2006; O'Donoghue et al., 2003; Osada et al., 2001).
  • the rodent brain contains fetal chimeric progenitor cells (Tan et al., 2005) and fetal cells with regenerative potential have been found in brain, liver, kidney, and lung injuries (Chen et al., 2001; Kleeberger et al., 2003; Wang et al., 2004). Fetal cells have also been found to participate in maternal neoangiogenesis during pregnancy at sites of skin inflammation (Nguyen Huu et al., 2007).
  • Fetal cells isolated from the maternal heart undergo clonal expansion and can differentiate into beating cardiomyocytes in vitro.
  • a significant proportion of the fetal cells homing to the heart express Cdx2, thus, trophoblast stem cells may participate in organ repair after acute injury.
  • Fetal-maternal transfer of nucleated cells during pregnancy involves multiple cell types, some possessing multi-lineage potential, and these cells appear transiently or may persist for decades after delivery in some women.
  • the long-term survival of fetal CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, CD34+ and CD38+ lymphoid progenitors, CD3+ and CD14+ mononuclear cells, CD19+ and IgM+B lymphocyte precursor cells, CD45+ cells, desmin+ and mesenchymal stem cells have been reported in maternal blood and tissues.
  • Fetal chimeric progenitor cells have been found in rodent brain and additionally, fetal cells with regenerative potential have been found in brain, liver, kidney, and lung injuries. Fetal cells have also been found to participate in maternal neoangiogenesis during pregnancy at sites of skin inflammation.
  • eGFP+ cells in the model presented herein to the site of maternal cardiac injury with lack of such homing to non-injured tissues points to the presence of precise signals sensed by cells of fetal origin that enable them to target diseased myocardium specifically, and to differentiate into diverse cardiac lineages ( FIG. 5A ). Most notable is their differentiation into functional cardiomyocytes that are able to beat in syncytium with neighboring cardiomyocytes (movie not shown), thus uncovering an evolutionary mechanism whereby a fetus may assist in protecting the mother's heart during and after pregnancy.
  • mouse injury model presented herein is not an absolutely precise representation of peripartum cardiomyopathy, it does provide a sound model system of murine fetomaternal microchimerism to identify appropriate cell types for cardiac regeneration.
  • Cdx2 The identification of Cdx2 by the present inventors as a unique and highly prevalent marker expressed on fetal cells in the maternal myocardium offers a new perspective regarding the appropriate cell type to achieve these aims.
  • the Cdx family of transcription factors consist of three mouse homologues (Cdx 1, 2, and 4) of the Drosophila caudal homeobox genes, which are involved in specifying cell position along the anteroposterior axis, with similar functions in the later developmental stages of the mouse embryo (Chawengsaksophak et al., 2004; Strumpf et al., 2005) as well as morphological specification of murine gut endoderm (Beck and Stringer, 2010; Chawengsaksophak et al., 1997).
  • Cdx2 is also required for trophectoderm fate commitment in the developing blastocyst (Niwa et al., 2005; Ralston and Rossant, 2005; Strumpf et al., 2005) ( FIG. 5B ).
  • the trophectoderm gives rise to the trophoblast stem cells which have previously been associated solely with differentiation to the placenta lineage (Ralston et al., 2010; Tanaka et al., 1998).
  • fetal cells that traffic to maternal blood and organs comprise a mixed population of progenitor and differentiated cells, with different relative proportions in different maternal organs (Fujiki et al., 2009) in a study that was performed in the non-injured state.
  • the results presented herein point towards the transfer of several populations of progenitor cells.
  • the present finding of Cdx2 cells of fetal or placental origin in the heart presents a cell type that is capable of cardiac differentiation under injury conditions that can be readily isolated from placenta.
  • Microchimerism results when two genetically disparate populations of cells appear in the same tissue, organ, or individual. This can be due to transfusion of blood products, organ transplantation, or pregnancy.
  • microchimerism refers to bidirectional trafficking and stable long-term persistence of allogeneic fetal cells in the maternal host. Microchimeric cells can modify immunological recognition or tolerance, affect the course and outcome of various diseases, and demonstrate stem cell-like or regenerative properties.
  • stem cell refers to an undifferentiated, multipotent, self-renewing, cell.
  • a stem cell is able to divide and, under appropriate conditions, has self-renewal capability and can include in its progeny daughter cells that can terminally differentiate into any of a variety of different cell types.
  • the stem cell is “multipotent” because stem cell progeny have multiple differentiation pathways.
  • a stem cell is capable of self maintenance, meaning that with each cell division, one daughter cell will also be on average a stem cell.
  • Non-stem cell progeny of a stem cell are typically referred to as “progenitor” cells, which are capable of giving rise to various cell types within one or more lineages.
  • progenitor cell refers to an undifferentiated cell derived from a stem cell, and is not itself a stem cell. Some progenitor cells can produce progeny that are capable of differentiating into more than one cell type.
  • a distinguishing feature of a progenitor cell is that, unlike a stem cell, it does not exhibit self maintenance, and typically is thought to be committed to a particular path of differentiation and will, under appropriate conditions, eventually differentiate along this pathway.
  • Stem cells and progenitor cells derived from a particular tissue are referred to herein by reference to the tissue from which they were obtained.
  • stem cells and progenitor cells obtained from fetal tissue are referred to as “fetal stem cells” and “fetal progenitor cells,” respectively.
  • Fetal tissue includes, but is not limited to, placenta used to feed a fetus during pregnancy, and which is expelled following birth.
  • a “clonogenic population” refers to a population of cells derived from the same stem cell.
  • a clonogenic population may include stem cells, progenitor cells, precursor cells, differentiated cells, or any combination thereof.
  • an “isolated,” “purified” and “enriched” indicate that the cells are removed from their normal tissue environment and are present at a higher concentration as compared to the normal tissue environment. Accordingly, an “isolated,” “purified” or “enriched” cell population may further include cell types in addition to stem cells and/or progenitor cells and may include additional tissue components, and the terms “isolated,” “purified” and “enriched” do not necessarily indicate the presence of only stem cells and progenitor cells. In one embodiment, an “isolated,” “purified” or “enriched” cell population contains greater than about 75% of the stem cells and/or progenitor cells. For example, an “isolated,” “purified” or “enriched” cell population contains greater than about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 97%, about 98% or more of the stem cells and/or progenitor cells.
  • Isolated tissue samples may be placed into culture without further processing, or they may be processed to release cells from other tissue components by any of a variety of different means or combinations thereof known in the art.
  • Tissue may be physically processed, e.g., by cutting or mincing a tissue sample into smaller pieces. Cutting may be performed by any conventional means available, including, e.g., the use of scissors, scalpels, razor blades, needles, and other sharp instruments.
  • Tissue samples may be cultured in any of a variety of culture media capable of supporting cell viability, growth and/or attachment, such as serum-supplemented DMEM.
  • explant media Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's IMDM with 10% fetal calf serum (FBS), 100 U/ml penicillin G, 100 ⁇ g/ml streptomycin, 2 mmol/L L-glutamine, and 01 mmol/L beta-mercaptoethanol
  • Tissue samples may be cultured under standard environmental conditions such as 37° C. and 5% CO 2 .
  • Tissue samples may be cultured for a time sufficient for adherent cells to adhere and stem cells to migrate above the adherent cell layer, which may be, e.g., approximately one week, two weeks, three weeks or more.
  • the age of donor tissue determines the time for culture: the older the tissue, the longer the time it takes for the stem cells to migrate out from the explant.
  • tissue and cell culture techniques useful for the present compositions and methods of use thereof are provided in the Examples below.
  • Tissue may also be processed by exposure to an enzyme preparation that facilitates the release of cells from other tissue components.
  • enzymes include, but are not limited to, matrix metalloproteinases, pronase, clostripain, trypsin-like, pepsin-like, neutral protease-type and collagenases.
  • Suitable proteolytic enzymes are commercially available and are also described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,079,160; 6,589,728; 5,422,261; 5,424,208; and 5,322,790.
  • the enzyme preparation is a collagenase preparation or comprises collagenase.
  • the enzyme preparation comprises one or more of trypsin-like, pepsin-like, clostripain, and neutral protease-type enzymes.
  • one suitable enzyme preparation may include a mixture of 0.2% trypsin and 0.1% collagenase IV.
  • Stem cells and progenitor cells may be purified from other tissue components after, or concurrent with, the processing of a tissue sample.
  • stem cells and progenitor cells may be purified from other cells and tissue components after the tissue sample has been cultured under conditions suitable for cell growth and for a time sufficient to allow cells to adhere to the culture dish. Purification of cells may include, for example, obtaining cells that migrate from the tissue sample during culture and may be present in the culture media or loosely adhered to the adherent fibroblast layer.
  • the cells may be obtained by routine methods, such as removing and centrifuging the media to pellet cells therein, and washing the cells remaining in the culture dish with a solution such as phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or D-Hanks to remove those cells loosely attached to the adherent cell layer. This wash solution may then also be centrifuged to obtain cells.
  • PBS phosphate-buffered saline
  • D-Hanks D-Hanks
  • a purified cell population may include at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% of Cdx-2 bearing stem cells or progenitor cells.
  • the cells may also, in some embodiments, be characterized by the presence of one or more of the following cell markers: CD31, Sca-1, c-Kit, Pou5F1, Nanog, Isil, Sox2, Nkx2.5, CD23 and Cdx2.
  • Cdx2 cells obtained from fetal placenta have been found by the present inventors to have stem cell characteristics as they contribute to multiple cell lineages. Cdx2 cells have been newly identified as progenitors for endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and/cardiomyocytes.
  • the composition for delivery of cells includes the cells and can comprise a pharmaceutical carrier, preferably an aqueous carrier.
  • aqueous carriers can be used, e.g., buffered saline and the like. These solutions are sterile and generally free of undesirable matter.
  • These compositions can be sterilized by conventional, well known sterilization techniques.
  • compositions may contain pharmaceutically acceptable auxiliary substances as required to approximate physiological conditions such as pH adjusting and buffering agents, toxicity adjusting agents and the like, for example, sodium acetate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium lactate, albumin, anticoagulants such as CPD (citrate, phosphate, and dextrose), dextran, DMSO, combinations thereof, and the like.
  • auxiliary substances such as pH adjusting and buffering agents, toxicity adjusting agents and the like, for example, sodium acetate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium lactate, albumin, anticoagulants such as CPD (citrate, phosphate, and dextrose), dextran, DMSO, combinations thereof, and the like.
  • Biologically compatible carriers or excipients also include, but are not limited to, such as 5-azacytidine, cardiogenol C, or ascorbic acid.
  • concentration of active agent in these formulations can vary widely, and can be selected primarily based on fluid volumes
  • purified cell populations are present within a composition adapted for, or suitable for, freezing and/or storage.
  • a composition may further comprise fetal bovine serum and/or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).
  • DMSO dimethylsulfoxide
  • At least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% of the cells in a cell population described herein have the capacity to undergo differentiation into specialized cell types.
  • the cells are capable of forming endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and/or cardiomyocytes.
  • composition including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the preparation of a medicament for inducing cardiac regeneration.
  • the composition increases cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, when administered to a subject.
  • the composition treats myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy when administered to a subject.
  • compositions including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the preparation of a medicament for increasing cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof.
  • compositions including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the preparation of a medicament for treating myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • composition including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for inducing cardiac regeneration.
  • the composition increases cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, when administered to a subject.
  • the composition treats myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy when administered to a subject.
  • a composition including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for increasing cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof.
  • a composition including a population of Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for treating myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • composition comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for increasing cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for treating myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for inducing cardiac regeneration, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • the composition increases cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, when administered to a subject.
  • the composition treats myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy when administered to a subject.
  • composition comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for increasing cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for treating myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • compositions comprising a population of cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for inducing cardiac regeneration, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta.
  • the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells.
  • the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit or a combination thereof.
  • the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • the composition increases cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof, when administered to a subject.
  • the composition treats myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy when administered to a subject.
  • compositions described herein may contain, for example, from about 1 ⁇ 10 8 to about 1 ⁇ 10 2 cells. Compositions may also contain, for example, from about 1 ⁇ 10 6 to about 1 ⁇ 10 5 cells. In one embodiment where additional cells are present in the composition, the amount of cells in the composition will generally contain about 1 ⁇ 10 8 to about 1 ⁇ 10 2 Cdx2 cells. In another embodiment, where additional cells are present in the composition, the composition will generally contain about 1 ⁇ 10 6 to about 1 ⁇ 10 5 Cdx2 cells.
  • the amount of cells to be formulated in a composition or medicament for administration to a subject will depend upon the subject to be treated and the optimal dose or doses (in the case of repeat therapy) can be empirically determined by the treating doctor. For example, height, weight, age, gender, and overall physical condition may be considered by a doctor in determining a therapeutically effective amount of cells to administer.
  • a therapeutically effective amount of cells is one which is capable of partially or fully restoring cardiac function and/or treating a heart condition.
  • the amount of composition comprises about from 1 ⁇ 10 8 to about 1 ⁇ 10 2 cells.
  • the amount of introduced composition comprises from about 1 ⁇ 10 6 to about 1 ⁇ 10 5 cells.
  • the present inventors determined for the first time that fetal cells selectively home (migrate) to injured maternal hearts and undergo differentiation into diverse cardiac lineages. Utilizing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) tagged fetuses, engraftment of multipotent fetal cells in injury zones of maternal hearts was demonstrated.
  • eGFP enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • eGFP+ fetal cells were found to form endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes.
  • fetal cells isolated from maternal hearts recapitulate these differentiation pathways, additionally forming vascular tubes and beating cardiomyocytes in a fusion-independent manner. Fetal maternal stem cell transfer was found to have an effect on maternal response to cardiac injury.
  • Cdx2 cells were identified as a novel cell type for cardiovascular regenerative therapy.
  • Cdx2 stem cells use in a composition or medicament for prevention or treatment of myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • the Cdx-2 bearing stem cells are derived from placenta.
  • an isolated population of Cdx2 cells capable of restoring heart function and of forming endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and/or cardiomyocytes. The approaches described herein are based, in part, upon application of the discovery of the ability of Cdx2 cells to home to the maternal heart and treat myocardia/infarction in the model provided in the Examples below.
  • the present cells provide a novel cellular therapeutic agent for tissue repair.
  • Such therapeutic tissue repair utilizes Cdx2 cells, which may be isolated from placental tissue and can be transplanted in an autologous manner. Methods and compositions described herein can be directed to, for example, cardiac repair.
  • Cdx2 cells introduced into the peri-infarct zone of infarcted mouse hearts can form endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and/or cardiomyocytes and may induce myocardial repair, prevent heart failure, and induce cardiac remodeling.
  • Cdx2 cells obtained from, for example, placental tissue may be administered to a patient with, or at risk for, myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • Fetal stem cells naturally home to sites of maternal cardiac injury during pregnancy.
  • the fetal cells are capable of differentiating into diverse cardiac lineages in vivo, including endothelial and smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes. They recapitulate these differentiation pathways in vitro, forming vascular tubes and spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes.
  • Cdx2 has been identified herein as a unique and highly prevalent marker expressed in fetal cells isolated from maternal myocardium, offering a new perspective regarding the appropriate cell type best suited for cardiovascular cell therapy.
  • Cdx2 is required for trophectoderm fate commitment in the developing blastocyst.
  • the trophectoderm gives rise to the trophoblast stem (TS) cells which have previously been associated solely with differentiation to the placenta lineage.
  • TS trophoblast stem
  • Cdx2 cells may be isolated from end-gestation placentas and be utilized for allogeneic stem cell transplantation. These studies may be used for clinical testing and use of placenta-derived Cdx2 cells in the treatment of heart disease.
  • the present inventor is the first to propose isolation of Cdx2 cells and a heterogeneous mix of fetal-derived placenta cells from end-gestation mouse and human placentas, testing their differentiation properties in vitro, and identifying cell surface markers that may be used to facilitate further sorting.
  • a lentivirus has been constructed in which the murine Cdx2 promoter drives expression of the reporter gene tdTomato.
  • the control lentivirus employs a cytomegalovirus promoter driving tdTomato.
  • Cdx2 cells are isolated from murine and human placentas based on the red fluorescence of tdTomato. Single cell sorting into 96-well plates is performed to confirm clonality. These cells are then cultured on cardiac mesenchymal fibroblasts and neonatal cardiomyocytes to test for their ability to differentiate into endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes. Live-imaging microscopy is utilized to assess spontaneous beating of Cdx2 cell-derived cardiomyocytes.
  • a heterogeneous mix of fetal-derived placenta cells that are mononuclear will also be tested in 96-well plates for clonality and in cell culture to examine their differentiation pathways.
  • Murine fetal cells will be isolated using green-fluorescent protein (GFP) after wild-type virgin female mice are mated with transgenic GFP mice as described in the examples.
  • Fetal-derived cells will also be isolated from human placentas by separating the fetal portion of placentas of first-time mothers who have given birth to males according to established techniques and confirming fetal identity with Y-chromosome FISH as described in the examples.
  • Cdx2 cells will be isolated from human placenta tissues and proteomic approaches employed to search for novel cell surface markers that may be utilized for FACS sorting.
  • the present inventor also tested the ability of Cdx2 cells versus a heterogeneous mix of fetal-derived cells isolated from placenta to form cardiomyocytes and blood vessels in vivo and restore cardiac function via transplantation experiments in the post-myocardial infarction setting.
  • Immunohistochemical approaches will be utilized to detect formation of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes in the infarcted hearts. Cardiac function enhancement will be detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  • MRI magnetic resonance imaging
  • Methods involve intramyocardial transplantation of Cdx2 cells. Such therapeutic methods may repair and regenerate damaged myocardium and restore cardiac function after, for example, acute myocardial infarction and/or other ischemic or reperfusion related injuries. Methods generally include contacting a composition containing Cdx2 cells with cardiac tissue or cells. Contacting may occur via injection methods known in the art and described herein.
  • a method for restoring cardiac function comprising introducing an effective amount of a composition Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier into a heart of a subject in need thereof.
  • Restoration of cardiac function may include partial or complete restoration. In one embodiment, at least 50% of cardiac function is restored compared to a patient who does not receive such treatment. In another embodiment, about 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100% of cardiac function is restored.
  • a subject receiving treatment may also be tested in various ways for cardiac health and have an improved result observed by echocardiography, multi-gated acquisition scan (MUGA) scan, nuclear stress test, radionuclide angiography, left ventricular angiography, MRI or ECG. In one embodiment, a patient's cardiac function does not worsen.
  • MUGA multi-gated acquisition scan
  • Cdx2 cells are fetal stem cells which may be derived from placenta.
  • the Cdx2 cells may be substantially isolated cells.
  • the Cdx2 cells represent at least about 75%, at least about 80%, at least about 85%, at least about 90%, at least about 95%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, or 100% of the cells in the composition.
  • a subject may be diagnosed with, or at risk for, myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • the subject is diagnosed with myocardial infarction.
  • the subject has, or is at risk for, heart failure.
  • compositions such as those described herein are utilized for treatment of a subject
  • introducing or contacting the composition with the heart of the subject can occur by implanting the composition into cardiac tissue of the subject.
  • introducing or contacting the composition can occur via injecting the composition into the subject using conventional techniques in the art.
  • Cardiac tissue to be treated according to the present methods includes, for example, myocardium, endocardium, epicardium, connective tissue in the heart, and nervous tissue in the heart. Animals such as mammals represent subjects to be treated with the presently disclosed compositions and methods.
  • the subject is a human, a veterinary animal, a primate, a domesticated animal, a reptile, or an avian.
  • a human subject may be treated with the disclosed compositions to restore cardiac function and to treat one or more heart-related conditions.
  • a method of preventing or treating a patient suffering from myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy comprising administering a composition comprising an isolated stem cell population comprising Cdx2 cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • Another aspect provided herein is a method for restoring cardiac function comprising introducing an effective amount of a composition cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier into a heart of a subject in need thereof, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C . Also provided herein is a method of inducing cardiomyocyte regeneration, cardiac repair, vasculogenesis or cardiomyocyte differentiation, comprising contacting cells with injured heart tissue, wherein said cells express one or more markers identified in Table 2 or in FIG. 5C .
  • the cells are derived from placenta. In another embodiment, the cells are progenitor cells or stem cells. In another embodiment, the cells express Cdx2, Cd9, Eomes, CD34, CD31, c-kit, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the cells express Cdx2 and Cd9.
  • a subject upon which the methods of the invention are to be performed will have been diagnosed with myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy.
  • a subject upon which the methods of the invention are performed is at risk for myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, or myocardial hypertrophy based on assessment of the heart tissue and/or family history.
  • a subject has been diagnosed with myocardial infarction or at risk for heart failure.
  • prevention encompasses administration of compositions described herein to a subject to prevent damage to the subject's heart and/or to prevent acute myocardial infarction.
  • a subject that has been treated with such methods may experience an overall improvement in health. Additionally, cardiac function may be restored and/or improved as described above compared to lack of treatment.
  • a composition containing Cdx2 cells is introduced into the cardiac tissue or cells a subject.
  • this method may be performed as follows: Cdx2 cells can be isolated from placenta using conventional means known in the art and described herein. Once isolated, the stem cells can be purified and/or expanded. The isolated cells can then be formulated as a composition (medicament) comprising the Cdx2 cells along with, for example, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The composition (medicament) so formed can then be introduced into the heart tissue of a subject.
  • a subject to be treated with the disclosed compositions and methods will have been diagnosed as having, or being at risk for, a heart condition, disease, or disorder.
  • Introduction of the composition can be according to methods described herein or known in the art.
  • the Cdx2 cell composition can be administered to a subject's heart by way of direct injection delivery or catheter delivery.
  • Introduction of Cdx2 cells can be a single occurrence or can occur more than one time over a period of time selected by the attending physician.
  • the time course and number of occurrences of Cdx2 cell implantation into a subject's heart can be dictated by monitoring generation and/or regeneration of cardiac tissue, where such methods of assessment and devisement of treatment course is within the skill of the art of an attending physician.
  • Cardiac tissue into which Cdx2 cells can be introduced includes, but is not limited to, the myocardium of the heart (including cardiac muscle fibers, connective tissue (endomysium), nerve fibers, capillaries, and lymphatics); the endocardium of the heart (including endothelium, connective tissue, and fat cells); the epicardium of the heart (including fibroelastic connective tissue, blood vessels, lymphatics, nerve fibers, fat tissue, and a mesothelial membrane consisting of squamous epithelial cells); and any additional connective tissue (including the pericardium), blood vessels, lymphatics, fat cells, progenitor cells (e.g., side-population progenitor cells), and nervous tissue found in the heart.
  • the myocardium of the heart including cardiac muscle fibers, connective tissue (endomysium), nerve fibers, capillaries, and lymphatics
  • the endocardium of the heart including endothelium, connective tissue, and
  • Cardiac muscle fibers are composed of chains of contiguous heart-muscle cells (cardiomyocytes), joined end to end at intercalated disks. These disks possess two kinds of cell junctions: expanded desmosomes extending along their transverse portions, and gap junctions, the largest of which lie along their longitudinal portions.
  • Each of the above tissues can be selected as a target site for introduction of Cdx2 cells, either individually or in combination with other tissues.
  • a determination of the need for treatment will typically be assessed by a history and physical exam consistent with the myocardial defect, disorder, or injury at issue.
  • Subjects with an identified need of therapy include those with diagnosed damaged or degenerated heart tissue (i.e., heart tissue which exhibits a pathological condition) or which are predisposed to damaged or degenerative heart tissue.
  • causes of heart tissue damage and/or degeneration include, but are not limited to, chronic heart damage, chronic heart failure, damage resulting from injury or trauma, damage resulting from a cardiotoxin, damage from radiation or oxidative free radicals, damage resulting from decreased blood flow, and myocardial infarction (such as a heart attack).
  • a subject in need of treatment according to the methods described herein has been diagnosed with degenerated heart tissue resulting from a myocardial infarction or heart failure.
  • the subject receiving cardiac implantation of Cdx2 cells according to the methods described herein will usually have been diagnosed as having, or being at risk for, a heart condition, disease, or disorder.
  • the methods of the invention can be useful to alleviate the symptoms of a variety of disorders, such as disorders associated with aberrant cell/tissue damage, ischemic disorders, and reperfusion related disorders.
  • the methods are useful in alleviating a symptom of myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial hypertrophy, or a combination thereof.
  • the methods of the invention can also be useful to prevent the symptoms of a variety of disorders, such as disorders associated with aberrant cell/tissue damage, ischemic disorders, and reperfusion related disorders.
  • the methods are useful in preventing a symptom of myocardial infarction, chronic coronary ischemia, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, restenosis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, angina, atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial hypertrophy, or a combination thereof.
  • the condition, disease, or disorder can be diagnosed and/or monitored, typically by a physician using standard methodologies.
  • Alleviation of one or more symptoms of the condition, disease, or disorder indicates that the composition confers a clinical benefit, such as a reduction in one or more of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, fluid retention, headaches, dizzy spells, chest pain, left shoulder or arm pain, and ventricular dysfunction.
  • a reduction of one more of the symptoms need not be 100% to provide therapeutic benefit to the subject being treated.
  • a reduction of about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, or more of one or more such symptoms may provide sufficient therapeutic relief to a patient.
  • prevention does not necessarily mean that a patient never experiences cardiac damage. Rather, prevention includes, but is not limited to, delay of onset of one or more symptoms compared to a lack of treatment. In one non-limiting example, a patient who has a family history of fatal heart attacks by 50 years of age may experience one or more symptoms described herein, but not experience a fatal heart attack or may experience a less severe heart attack compared to lack of treatment.
  • Cardiac cell/tissue damage is characterized, in part, by a loss of one or more cellular functions characteristic of the cardiac cell type which can lead to eventual cell death.
  • cell damage to a cardiomyocyte results in the loss of contractile function of the cell resulting in a loss of ventricular function of the heart tissue.
  • An ischemic or reperfusion related injury results in tissue necrosis and scar formation.
  • Injured myocardial tissue is defined for example by necrosis, scarring, or yellow softening of the myocardial tissue.
  • Injured myocardial tissue leads to one or more of several mechanical complications of the heart, such as ventricular dysfunction, decreased forward cardiac output, as well as inflammation of the lining around the heart (i.e., pericarditis). Accordingly, regenerating injured myocardial tissue according to the methods described herein can result in histological and functional restoration of the tissue.
  • the methods described herein can promote generation and/or regeneration of heart tissue, and/or promote endogenous myocardial regeneration of heart tissue in a subject.
  • Promoting generation of heart tissue generally includes, but is not limited to, activating, enhancing, facilitating, increasing, inducing, initiating, or stimulating the growth and/or proliferation of heart tissue, as well as activating, enhancing, facilitating, increasing, inducing, initiating, or stimulating the differentiation, growth, and/or proliferation of heart tissue cells.
  • the methods include, for example, initiation of heart tissue generation, as well as facilitation or enhancement of heart tissue generation already in progress. Differentiation is generally understood as the cellular process by which cells become structurally and functionally specialized during development.
  • Proliferation and growth generally refer to an increase in mass, volume, and/or thickness of heart tissue, as well as an increase in diameter, mass, or number of heart tissue cells.
  • generation is understood to include the generation of new heart tissue and the regeneration of heart tissue where heart tissue previously existed.
  • Generation of new heart tissue and regeneration of heart tissue resultant from the therapeutic methods described herein, can be detected and/or measured using conventional procedures in the art.
  • Such procedures include, but are not limited to, Western blotting for heart-specific proteins, electron microscopy in conjunction with morphometry, simple assays to measure rate of cell proliferation (including trypan blue staining, the Cell Titer-Blue cell viability assay from Promega (Madison, Wis.), the MTT cell proliferation assay from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), differential staining with fluorescein diacetate and ethidium bromide/propidium iodide, estimation of ATP levels, flow-cytometry assays, etc.), and any of the methods, molecular procedures, and assays disclosed herein.
  • Cdx2 cells can be isolated from placental tissue, purified, and cultured as described in the present examples. Additional art-recognized methods of isolating, culturing, and differentiating stems cells are generally known in the art (see, e.g., Lanza et al., eds. (2004) Handbook of Stem Cells, Academic Press, ISBN 0124366430; Lanza et al., eds. (2005) Essentials of Stem Cell Biology, Academic Press, ISBN 0120884429; Saltzman (2004) Tissue Engineering: Engineering Principles for the Design of Replacement Organs and Tissues, Oxford ISBN 019514130X; Vunjak-Novakovic and Freshney, eds.
  • the time between isolation, culture, expansion, and/or implantation may vary according to a particular application and/or a particular subject.
  • Incubation (and subsequent replication and/or differentiation) of a composition containing Cdx2 cells can be, for example, at least in part in vitro, substantially in vitro, at least in part in vivo, or substantially in vivo. Determination of optimal culture time may be empirically determined.
  • Cdx2 cells can be derived from placenta of the same or different species as the transplant recipient.
  • progenitor cells can be derived from an animal, including but not limited to, mammals, reptiles, and avians such as, for example, horses, cows, dogs, cats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and humans.
  • Cdx2 cells are derived from human placenta.
  • autologous Cdx2 cells may be obtained from the subject, into which the Cdx2 cells are re-introduced. Such autologous Cdx2 cells may be expanded and/or transformed, as described herein, before re-introduction to the host.
  • Cdx2 cells can be obtained by screening a plurality of cells from placental tissue. After screening, Cdx2 cells may be selected and prepared for transplantation. In one aspect, therapeutic Cdx2 cells may be expanded ex vivo (or in vitro) using, for example, standard methods used to culture Cdx2 cells and maintain stable cell lines. Alternatively, these cells can be expanded in vivo (i.e., after implantation). These cells can also be used for future transplantation procedures. The screened and isolated cells may, optionally, be further enriched for Cdx2 cells prior to transplantation. Methods to select for stem cells, for example Cdx2 cells, are well known in the art (e.g., MoFlow Cell Sorter).
  • samples can be enriched by tagging cell-surface markers of undifferentiated Cdx2 cells with fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibodies and sorting via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).
  • FACS fluorescence-activated cell sorting
  • a sample of the Cdx2 cell-rich culture can be implanted without further enrichment.
  • Isolated Cdx2 cells can optionally be transformed with a heterologous nucleic acid so as to express a bioactive molecule or heterologous protein or to overexpress an endogenous protein. Transformation of stem cells, including Cdx2 cells, may be conducted using conventional methods in the art.
  • Cdx2 cells may be genetically modified to expresses a fluorescent protein marker (e.g., GFP, eGFP, BFP, CFP, YFP, RFP, etc.). Marker protein expression can be especially useful in implantation scenarios, as described herein, so as to monitor Cdx2 cell placement, retention, and replication in target tissue.
  • a fluorescent protein marker e.g., GFP, eGFP, BFP, CFP, YFP, RFP, etc.
  • Cdx2 cells may be transfected with one or more genetic sequences that are capable of reducing or eliminating an immune response in the host (e.g., expression of cell surface antigens such as class I and class II histocompatibility antigens may be suppressed). This may allow the transplanted cells to have reduced chance of rejection by the host, especially where the cells were from a different subject.
  • an immune response in the host e.g., expression of cell surface antigens such as class I and class II histocompatibility antigens may be suppressed.
  • Cdx2 cells may be genetically engineered to express increased levels of cyclin A2 such that the cells have augmented and/or prolonged proliferative potential.
  • the Cdx2 cells may be contacted with, or transformed to express or overexpress, a variety of cell cycle regulators so as to achieve similar results.
  • Elevated levels of an active cell cycle regulator (e.g., a cyclin) in Cdx2 cells may be accomplished by, for example, contacting or transforming the Cdx2 cells with a cell cycle regulator protein, or a protein variant thereof, or a cell cycle regulator-associated agent.
  • Cyclin proteins include, but are not necessarily limited to, cyclins A, B, C, D, and E.
  • the level of active cyclin A2 in the Cdx2 cell is elevated (see, e.g., U.S. Publication No. 2006/0160733 A1, which is incorporated by reference herein).
  • Various transport agents and delivery systems may be employed so as to effect intracellular transport of the cyclin protein into Cdx2 cells (see, e.g., Stayton et al. (2005) Orthod. Craniofacial. Res., 8: 219-225).
  • Isolated Cdx2 cells may be transduced with, for example, a lentiviral vector, retroviral vector, adenoviral vector, adeno-associated viral vector, or other vector system, overexpressing a cyclin gene.
  • a lentiviral vector retroviral vector
  • adenoviral vector adeno-associated viral vector
  • Isolated Cdx2 cells may be transduced with, for example, a lentiviral vector, retroviral vector, adenoviral vector, adeno-associated viral vector, or other vector system, overexpressing a cyclin gene.
  • Several ways are available for increasing cyclin A2 expression including, but not limited to, transducing isolated Cdx2 cells with a lentiviral vector overexpressing a cyclin A2 gene, or providing cells with a nanoparticle that transfers cyclin A2, a protein composition or a small molecule that activates cyclin A2 in a cell. Any other method for inducing cyclin A2
  • contact of Cdx2 cells with cyclin A2 may occur before, during, or after isolation and/or purification. Similarly, contact of Cdx2 cells with cyclin A2 may occur before, during, or after implantation into a subject.
  • Cyclin A2 may be generated by synthesis of polypeptides in vitro, e.g., by chemical means, or in vitro translation of mRNA (see, e.g., U.S. Publication No. 2006/0160733).
  • a cyclin A2 may be synthesized by conventional methods in the art (see, e.g., Benoiton (2005) Chemistry of Peptide Synthesis, CRC, ISBN 1574444549; Goodman et al., eds. (2004) Synthesis Of Peptides And Peptidomimetics: Workbench Edition, Thieme Medical Pub, ISBN 1588903117).
  • Fetal Cdx2 cells may be cultured and/or implanted along with other progenitor cell types.
  • Cdx2 cells obtained from placenta may be cultured and/or implanted along with other stem cells, such as mesenchymal stem cells.
  • Cdx2 cells may be cultured and/or implanted along with cardiomyocytes.
  • Cdx2 cell compositions may be directly introduced into, or contacted with, cardiac tissue and/or cells. Introduction to the tissues or cells of a subject may occur ex vivo or in vivo. In one embodiment, compositions containing isolated cells are directly implanted into cardiac tissue of the subject, in vivo.
  • Therapeutic cells may be implanted into a subject using conventional methods (see, for example, the present Examples and Orlic et al. (2001) Nature, 410(6829): 701-705).
  • cells, or compositions comprising cells may be introduced via direct injection (e.g., intermyocardial or intercoronary injection) or catheter-based delivery (e.g., intermyocardial, intercoronary, orcoronary sinus delivery).
  • direct injection e.g., intermyocardial or intercoronary injection
  • catheter-based delivery e.g., intermyocardial, intercoronary, orcoronary sinus delivery.
  • Intercoronary catheter delivery directly injects cells into heart tissue.
  • the cells may be transplanted along with a carrier material, such as collagen or fibrin glue or other scaffold materials.
  • a carrier material such as collagen or fibrin glue or other scaffold materials.
  • Such materials may improve cell retention and integration after implantation.
  • Exemplary materials and methods for employing them are known in the art and are contemplated herein (see, e.g., Saltzman (2004) Tissue Engineering: Engineering Principles for the Design of Replacement Organs and Tissues, Oxford ISBN 019514130X; Vunjak-Novakovic and Freshney, eds. (2006) Culture of Cells for Tissue Engineering, Wiley-Liss, ISBN 0471629359; and Minuth et al. (2005) Tissue Engineering: From Cell Biology to Artificial Organs, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 3527311866).
  • the amount of cells introduced into the heart tissue of the subject can be that amount sufficient to improve cardiac function, increase cardiomyocyte formation, and/or increase mitotic index of cardiomyocytes.
  • an effective amount may increase cardiomyocyte formation, increase cardiomyocyte proliferation, increase cardiomyocyte cell cycle activation, increased mitotic index of cardiomyocytes, increase myofilament density, increase borderzone wall thickness, or a combination thereof.
  • An effective amount may form endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, cardiomyocytes, or a combination thereof.
  • An effective amount of cells to be administered can be, for example, about 1 ⁇ 10 8 to about 100 cells.
  • about 1 ⁇ 10 8 , about 1 ⁇ 10 7 , about 1 ⁇ 10 6 , about 1 ⁇ 10 5 , about 1 ⁇ 10 4 , about 1 ⁇ 10 3 , about 1 ⁇ 10 2 cells can constitute an effective amount.
  • about 1 ⁇ 10 6 to about 1 ⁇ 10 5 cells are introduced.
  • the specific therapeutically effective dose level for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors including the disorder being treated and the severity of the disorder; activity of the specific cells employed; the specific composition employed; the age, body weight, general health, sex and diet of the patient; the time of administration; the route of administration; the duration of the treatment; drugs used in combination or coincidental with the specific composition employed and like factors well known in the medical arts.
  • the total desired effective amount may be divided into multiple doses for purposes of administration. Consequently, single dose compositions may contain such amounts or submultiples thereof to make up the daily dose. It will be understood, however, that the total dosage of the compositions of the present invention will be decided by the attending physician within the scope of sound medical judgment.
  • Improving or enhancing cardiac function generally refers to improving, enhancing, augmenting, facilitating or increasing the performance, operation, or function of the heart and/or circulatory system of a subject. Improving or enhancing cardiac function may also refer to an improvement in one or more of the following symptoms: chest pain (typically radiating to the left arm or left side of the neck), shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating, and anxiety.
  • chest pain typically radiating to the left arm or left side of the neck
  • shortness of breath nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating, and anxiety.
  • the amount of cells introduced into the heart tissue of the subject can be that amount sufficient to forming endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and/cardiomyocytes.
  • An improvement in cardiac function may be readily assessed and determined based on known procedures including, but limited to, an electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, measuring volumetric ejection fraction using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or one or more blood tests.
  • ECG electrocardiogram
  • MRI magnetic resonance imaging
  • CK-MB creatine kinase-MB
  • troponin levels are the most often used markers for blood tests.
  • compositions can be administered daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
  • time course of treatment generally will be at least several days. Certain conditions may extend treatment from several days to several weeks. For example, treatment could extend over one week, two weeks, or three weeks.
  • treatment regimens may extend from several weeks to several months or even a year or more.
  • a mouse model to study myocardial infarction and the role of fetal cells in treatment of cardiac injury.
  • the model comprises (1) mating wild-type female mice with eGFP positive male mice to form eGFP positive fetuses; (2) inducing myocardial infarction in the pregnant mice at E12 days; (3) assessing maternal hearts for eGFP positive cells, wherein the presence of eGFP positive cells indicates migration of fetal cells to the material heart and/or assessing one or more symptoms of myocardial infarction.
  • eGFP positive cells have differentiated and have formed endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and/or cardiomyocytes.
  • E Embryonic day
  • Total DNA was extracted from whole maternal hearts utilizing the Blood and Tissue DNA extraction kit (Qiagen, Valencia, Calif.).
  • Quantitative PCR reactions were performed with iQTM (SYBR® Green Supermix) on the iQ5 Real-Time PCR Detection System (Bio-Rad, Hercules, Calif.).
  • the PCR protocol consisted of one cycle at 95° C. (10 minutes) followed by 40 cycles of 95° C. (15 seconds) and 60° C. (1 minute).
  • Fold changes in gene expression were determined using the comparative CT method (AACt method) (Pfaffl, 2001) with normalization to ApoB endogenous control.
  • GFP-forward (SEQ ID NO: 1) 5′′-CATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATC-3′; GFP-reverse (SEQ ID NO: 2) 5′-TGTTGTGGCGGATCTTGAAG-3′; ApoB-forward (SEQ ID NO: 3) 5′-AAGGCTCATTTTCAACAATTCC-3′; ApoB-reverse (SEQ ID NO: 4) 5′-GGACACAGACAGACCAGAAC-3′; Nkx2.5-forward (SEQ ID NO: 5) 5′-GACAGGTACCGCTGTTGCTT-3′; Nkx2.5-reverse (SEQ ID NO: 6 5′-AGCCTACGGTGACCCTGAC-3′; GAPDH-forward (SEQ ID NO: 7) 5′′-CAGCAACAGGGTGGTGGAC-3′; and GAPDH-reverse (SEQ ID NO: 8) 5′-GGATGGAAATTGTGAGGGATG-3′.
  • the threshold cycle number was obtained as the first cycle at which a statistically significant increase in fluorescence signal was detected.
  • Data was normalized by subtracting the C T value of ApoB from that of the eGFP. Each reaction was done in triplicate and the CT values were averaged.
  • Q-PCR was performed utilizing genomic DNA extracted from whole hearts.
  • a sensitivity test (Fujiki et al., 2008; Su et al., 2008) was performed by mixing serial dilutions of DNA from GFP transgenic mouse hearts with each of three quantities of DNA from virgin female WT mouse hearts (0, 10,000, and 100,000 pg) and real-time PCR for amplification of GFP was performed. 1 GFP cell amongst 100,000 cells of WT background can be detected. GFP is present as two copies per cell in the transgenic mouse we are utilizing (Joshi et al., 2008) (See FIG. 8 legend for detailed description).
  • rabbit anti-GFP (ABCAM #AB6556, Cambridge, Mass.), mouse anti-alpha sarcomeric actin (Sigma #A2172, St. Louis, Mo.), mouse anti-alpha sarcomeric actinin (Santa Cruz #15335, Santa Cruz, Calif.), mouse anti-cardiac troponin-T (ABCAM #AB45932), mouse anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin (Sigma #A2547), mouse anti-smooth muscle myosin IgG (Biomedical Technologies Inc #BT562, Stoughton, Mass.), rat anti-CD31 (BD #553370, San Jose, Calif.), rat anti-VE-Cadherin (RDI #RDI-MCD144-11D4, Acton, Mass.). Alexa-488 and Alexa-568 secondary antibodies were purchased from Molecular Probes (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.).
  • Chest wall was opened to expose heart which was perfused with 10 mL PBS, using a 23-gauge needle. Entire heart was dissected out (atria and ventricle) and extraneous tissue removed. Small amounts of serum-free medium (DMEM, Cellgro, Manassas, Va.) was added to prevent heart from drying out. Hearts from 3-4 adult mice were minced and placed in serum-free medium. Tissue was digested with Pronase at 1 mg/ml (Calbiochem, Gibbstown, N.J.) in a spinning incubator for 1 h at 37′C.
  • DMEM serum-free medium
  • eGFP+ cells of fetal origin
  • eGFP— cells of maternal origin
  • anti-Sca1 ebiosciences #17-5981-81
  • anti-c-kit Ebiosciences #27-1171-81
  • anti-oct4 Ebiosciences #12-5841-80
  • anti-nanog Ebiosciences #51-5761-80
  • ant-sox2 Millipore #MAB4343, Billerica, Mass.
  • Islet1 Hybridoma bank #39.4D5-s, Iowa City, Iowa
  • anti-nkx2.5 Santa Cruz #sc-14033
  • anti-CD31 Santa Cruz #sc-1506
  • anti-CD34 ebiosciences #56-0341-82
  • anti-cdx2 Santa Cruz #19478
  • CMFs were prepared by isolating cardiac cells from 1 day old WT neonatal pups. Cells were enriched for CMFs by spinning at low speeds (800 rpm). The supernatant (which primarily contains CMFs) was plated for 1 hour on culture dishes to allow CMFs to attach. The supernatant, now containing residual cardiomyocytes, was discarded. CMFs were incubated at 37° C. until confluent. CMFs were treated with Mitomycin C (MP Biomedicals. Solon, Ohio) to inhibit proliferation, incubated at 37° C. in complete medium for 24 hours and then used as feeders. FACS sorted eGFP+ cells were cultured on the CMFs and monitored for a period of 3-4 weeks. Live cell imaging was performed using an Olympus IX-70 Live cell imaging system (Olympus, Center Valley Pa.).
  • Cardiomyocyte feeders were prepared by isolating cardiac cells from 1 day old cyclin A2 transgenic mice as these cardiomyocytes can be passaged and remain viable in culture indefinitely. Cells were enriched for cardiomyocytes by spinning at low speeds (800 rpm).
  • the pellet (which primarily contains cardiomyocytes) was resuspended in complete medium and plated on culture dishes to allow residual CMFs to attach. The supernatant containing the cardiomyocytes was transferred to a new culture dish and then incubated at 37° C. Feeders were ready for experiments after 24 hours. EGFP+ cells were cultured on cardiomyocyte feeders and monitored over a 4-5 week period. Live cell imaging was performed using an Olympus IX-70 Live cell imaging system (Olympus, Center Valley Pa.).
  • Cells were cultured in chamber slides for 4-5 weeks and fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) for 20 minutes and then stained. Cells were incubated with primary antibody for 1 hour at RT, washed three times and then incubated with a secondary antibody for an additional hour at room temperature. After staining, the cells were washed three times, cover-slipped with Dako mounting media and fluorescence was visualized using a Zeiss Axiophot2 fluorescence microscope (Carl Zeiss, Kunststoff Germany)
  • Single eGFP+ cells isolated from injured maternal hearts were seeded in 96-well plates containing feeders (cardiomyocytes or CMFs) with complete medium.
  • the FACS Aria BCL2 (BD Biosciences, San Jose, Calif.) was utilized to sort single eGFP+ cells into 96 well plates. Cells were monitored daily to assay clonal expansion. Medium was changed every 3 days. After 14 days in culture, cells were fixed using 4% PFA and subjected to analysis.
  • Spectral scanning was performed using a Leica Microsystems (Leica, Mannheim, Germany) TCS SP5 confocal microscope. Images were collected using the lambda scan mode from 545 nm-705 nm with a 10 nm bandwidth per image. The 543 nm HeNe laser was used for excitation and images were collected at 512 ⁇ 512 pixels using the 63 ⁇ /1.4NA HCX PL APO oil lens. Regions of interest (ROIs) were selected around both sample and control cells. The mean intensity vs. wavelength for each respective ROI was then plotted on a graph and compared to the Alexa Fluor 568 spectral profile.
  • ROIs Regions of interest
  • interphase nuclei for FISH analysis, it was first rinsed in 2 ⁇ SSC/0.1% NP-40 for 2 min at room temperature. The slide was then dehydrated in an ethanol series and air-dried. Ready to Use (RTU) whole chromosome paint (WCP) mouse DNA probes for chromosomes X and Y (Cambio Ltd., Cambridge, UK) were mixed together and added to the slide. The interphase nuclei and probe were co-denatured for 5 minutes at 73° C. and hybridized for 48 hours at 37° C. The slide was then washed, to remove non-bound probe, in 0.4 ⁇ SSC/0.3% NP-40 for 2 min at 72° C.
  • RTU Ready to Use
  • WCP whole chromosome paint
  • TaqMan® Array Gene Signature plates (Applied Biosystems, Carlsbad, Calif.) contain 92 assays to stem cell associated genes. Total RNA was extracted from FACS isolated eGFP+ cells from placenta. Relative gene expression was determined using a two-step quantitative real-time PCR according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • the female mice underwent ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery in order to induce an anterolateral myocardial infarction (MI) at gestation day 12 ( FIG. 1A ). This results in approximately 50% left ventricular infarction.
  • MI myocardial infarction
  • eGFP+ cells observed in the infarct zones of maternal hearts also expressed markers of cardiomyocytes ( ⁇ -sarcomeric actin and ⁇ -actinin), smooth muscle cells ⁇ -smooth muscle actin), and endothelial cells (CD31 and VE-cadherin) (data not shown).
  • cardiomyocytes ⁇ -sarcomeric actin and ⁇ -actinin
  • smooth muscle cells ⁇ -smooth muscle actin
  • endothelial cells CD31 and VE-cadherin
  • Table 1 cell quantification in ventricular tissue sections obtained from WT female mice mated with GFP transgenic mice, subjected to cardiac injury at mid-gestation, then sacrificed 3 weeks post-injury. 10 different sections in infarct zones and 10 different sections in non-infarct zones that comprised an area of 25 sq. mm each were utilized for this analysis. All nuclei (detected by DAPI staining) were counted in each section. All eGFP+ nuclei were also counted and the ratios are presented in Table 1A. This was repeated in non-infarct zones and the ratios are presented in Table 1B. Alpha-actinin stained cells were counted in the infarct zones (mononuclear) and the ratio of eGFP+ nuclei that were present in alpha-actinin stained cells is presented in Table 1C.
  • Spectral profiles were obtained from paraffin embedded ventricular tissue sections of infarcted maternal hearts. This measure was taken, in addition to the use of Sudan Black, to ensure that native autofluorescence of cardiomyocytes was not affecting fluorescence images (data not shown).
  • fetal cells eGFP+
  • ⁇ -sarc ⁇ -sarcomeric actin
  • ⁇ -actinin smooth muscle cells expressed ⁇ -smooth muscle actin
  • VE-cad endothelial cells expressed CD31 and VE-Cadherin
  • Paraffin embedded ventricular sections were obtained from infarcted hearts of pregnant mice 1 week after injury; stained with rabbit anti-GFP primary antibody and donkey anti-rabbit Alexa Fluor 568 secondary antibody (data not shown). Regions that represent regions of interest (ROIs) 1-6 were circled and subjected to spectral scanning. The mean intensities of the spectral scans for this section are plotted versus wavelength in FIG. 2 . The mean intensities of the sample regions are significantly higher than the mean intensities of the control regions.
  • ROIs regions of interest
  • FACS fluorescence activated cell sorting
  • vascular tube formation was noted in a 3-dimensional collagen matrix.
  • Fetal cells isolated from maternal hearts and plated on CMFs underwent differentiation into smooth muscle cells ( ⁇ -SMA) and endothelial cells (CD31).
  • ⁇ -SMA smooth muscle cells
  • CD31 endothelial cells
  • Vascular tube formation was noted from fetal cells isolated from maternal hearts and plated on CMFs with expression of ⁇ -SMA and CD31.
  • cTnT cardiac troponin T
  • Cx43 connexin 43
  • cardiomyocytes isolated from neonatal cyclin A2 transgenic mice (Cheng et al., 2007) as feeders.
  • DMEM fetal calf serum
  • the isolated eGFP+ fetal cells differentiated into spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes (about 48 beats/minute, data not shown).
  • the resulting lineages also expressed cardiac troponin T (data not shown).
  • FIG. 3A Clonal analysis was performed to confirm the ‘sternness’ of the fetal cells giving rise to cardiac cells.
  • FACS for eGFP+ cells was performed and single cells were seeded in 96-well plates containing WT neonatal cardiomyocytes as feeders. Clones derived from eGFP+ fetal cells were expanded for 14 days and total clones counted in each colony. Two 96-well plates were utilized and 4 wells in each plate gave rise to colonies after 7 days (approximately 50% of the wells in each plate contained viable cells at this time point) yielding an approximate cloning efficiency of 8.3%. The number of cells identified on days 6, 7, 9, 12, 13 and 14 is provided in FIG. 3B .
  • cardiomyocytes derived in vitro from fetal cells isolated from maternal heart were found to be mononuclear.
  • FISH fluorescence in situ hybridization
  • the same cells were observed with different red and green wavelength filters to detect the X chromosome (520 nm) and the Y chromosome (550 nm).
  • a tetraploid nucleus was observed in a non-eGFP cell. Only the nuclei of the cells and as the X, Y probes exhibited fluorescence at different wavelengths (FITC: 520 nm, Cy 3 : 550 nm) and their signals could be easily distinguished from the green fluorescence of the GFP (Alexa 488: 488 nm) and the secondary antibody to cardiac troponin T (Texas Red: 568 nm). The ability to detect tetraploid nuclei with this assay was demonstrated by identifying cells that were found in a region where GFP cells were not detected.
  • eGFP+ cells from the fetus were homing selectively to the injured heart.
  • FACS FACS to sort eGFP+ cells from a variety of organs and tissues harvested from pregnant mice subjected to cardiac injury. These organs and tissues were minced and triturated to generate cell suspensions ( FIG. 4A ).
  • Corresponding cell populations were obtained from age-matched pregnant WT female mice mated with WT males and used as controls to establish the appropriate FACS gates to select eGFP+ cells.
  • Cells were isolated from the injured heart, blood, skeletal muscle, chest wall, eGFP-littermates, liver, lung, and placenta.
  • FACS to select eGFP+ cells was performed at two time points, 4.5 days post-injury (prior to delivery) and 7 days post-injury (after delivery) for all of these tissues except placenta (analyzed before delivery only) as it is resorbed by the mother in mice at time of delivery ( FIG. 4B ).
  • the low quantity of eGFP+ cells in all tissues, including injured heart, prior to 4.5 days post injury precluded any detailed phenotypic analyses. Therefore, it appears that mobilization of fetal cells in response to maternal injury takes approximately 4.5 days.
  • In the injured heart ⁇ 1.1% of the cells were eGFP+ prior to delivery and this number rose significantly to ⁇ 6.3% just after delivery. In blood, ⁇ 1.3% of cells were eGFP+ before delivery and this number rose to ⁇ 3.6% after delivery, although this increase was not statistically significant.
  • Cdx2 regulates trophoblast stem (TS) cell development and proliferation (Niwa et al., 2005; Strumpf et al., 2005), but the present inventors identified for the first time that Cdx2 is associated with cardiomyogenic differentiation. This finding raises the possibility that, in the setting of acute injury, TS cells from placenta can give rise to various cardiac lineages in addition to forming placenta. Fetal cells isolated from maternal hearts also displayed lower levels of several markers of endogenous cardiac progenitors, namely Sca-128, 29 (21%), cKit (25%) and Islet1 (3%), as well as embryonic stem (ES) cell markers Pou5f1 (2%), Nanog (3%) and Sox2 (24%).
  • hematopoietic stem cell factor CD34 was expressed in 15% of the eGFP+ cells which is consistent with placenta acting as a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells ( FIG. 5A ).
  • RNA expression of 92 known pluripotency genes was analyzed (Table 2), and gene expression relative to GAPDH expression for the most prevalent transcripts is plotted in FIG. 5B .
  • Peripartum cardiomyopathy has the highest rate of recovery amongst all etiologies of heart failureIt was this observation that prompted us to hypothesize that there may be a fetal or placental contribution to counteract maternal cardiac injury.
  • the mouse injury model presented herein serves as a model system of murine fetomaternal microchimerism that can help identify appropriate cell types for cardiac regeneration.
  • Cdx2 is a unique and highly prevalent marker expressed on fetal cells in the maternal myocardium.
  • the Cdx family of transcription factors consist of three mouse homologues (Cdx 1, 2, and 4) of the Drosophila caudal homeobox genes, which are involved in specifying cell position along the anteroposterior axis, with similar functions in the later developmental stages of the mouse embryoas well as morphological specification of murine gut endoderm.
  • Cdx2 is also involved in trophectoderm fate commitment in the developing blastocyst. The trophectoderm gives rise to the trophoblast stem cells which have previously been associated solely with differentiation to the placenta lineage.
  • the following example describes isolation of Cdx2 cells from end-gestation mouse and human placentas utilizing lentiviral vectors and testing their differentiation properties in vitro.
  • a lentivirus was constructed in which the murine Cdx2 promoter drives expression of the reporter gene tdTomato.
  • the control lentivirus employs a cytomegalovirus promoter driving tdTomato.
  • Cell suspensions of placenta tissues are made and Cdx2 cells are sorted based on the red fluorescence of tdTomato. Single cell sorting into 96-well plates is performed to confirm clonality.
  • cardiac mesenchymal fibroblasts and neonatal cardiomyocytes are then be cultured on cardiac mesenchymal fibroblasts and neonatal cardiomyocytes to test their ability to differentiate into endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes. Live-imaging microscopy is utilized to assess spontaneous beating of Cdx2 cell-derived cardiomyocytes.
  • the following example describes testing the ability of Cdx2 cells isolated from placenta to form cardiomyocytes and blood vessels in vivo via transplantation experiments in the post-myocardial infarction setting.
  • Cdx2 cells' cardiovascular differentiation potential in vivo and their ability to restore cardiac function in a rodent model Immunohistochemical approaches are utilized to detect formation of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes in infarcted hearts. Cardiac function enhancement is detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If transplantation of Cdx2 cells into infarcted rodent hearts demonstrates evidence of cardiac regeneration with improvement in ejection fraction, a large animal study is to be performed in an art-recognized porcine infarct model.
  • MRI magnetic resonance imaging
  • Porcine (pig) infarct models include those described by, for example, Hayase et al. (2005) Heart Cir. Physiol. 288: H2995-H3000. Briefly, hearts of living pigs are treated a cell population containing Cdx2 cells by injection into one or more sites surrounding an infarction. Alternatively, hearts of living pigs are injected with a vector (e.g., a lentiviral vector or adenoviral vector) encoding Cdx2 by injection into one or more sites surrounding an infarction.
  • a vector e.g., a lentiviral vector or adenoviral vector
  • Cdx2 cells may be sorted based on unique cell surface markers instead of reporter genes.
  • Cdx2 cells may be isolated from human placenta tissues and proteomic approaches employed to identify cell surface markers that may be utilized for FACS sorting.
  • Membrane fractionation of Cdx2 cells sorted using the lentiviruses constructed above may be carried out followed by mass spectrometry to identify new peptides. Antibodies to these peptides are designed and tested for their ability to identify and sort Cdx2 cells.
  • a lentivirus has been constructed in which the murine Cdx2 promoter drives the expression of tdTomato, and the corresponding control lentivirus utilizes the CMV promoter to drive expression of tdTomato ( FIG. 10A , 10 B).
  • FACS sorting is conducted utilizing a lentivirus driving a fluorescent reporter.
  • FIG. 10C permeabilized GFP cells were isolated from maternal hearts in order to assay the presence of Cdx2 by FACS.
  • the efficacy of our lentivirus in its ability to select Cdx2 cells has been demonstrated in FIG. 10C .
  • a wild type (WT) murine colon carcinoma cell line which expresses Cdx2 was transduced with the lentivirus; 40% of cells expressed TdTomato. This is more efficient than the 17% of cells identified by the Cdx2 monoclonal antibody through FACS sorting depicted in FIG. 10D .
  • Cdx2 and Eomesodermin two markers of TS cells.
  • RNA microarray in fetal cells isolated from end-gestation placentas (see FIG. 5C ).
  • Cdx2 cells may be specifically selected from end-gestation placentas from both mouse and human species and their differentiation properties in vitro may be compared to a heterogeneous mix of fetal-derived placenta stem cells (hfpcs).
  • hfpcs fetal-derived placenta stem cells
  • the RNA array data indicates that fetal cells in the placenta express high levels of CD9 ( FIG. 5C ), a cell surface molecule and a member of the transmembrane-4 family that has been associated with Cdx2 expression in intestinal epithelial cells.
  • Membrane fractionation of Cdx2 cells from placenta sorted using the lentiviruses described above is performed, using an antibody to CD9 to confirm its expression on the surface of these cells, and utilizing mass spectrometry to identify other novel peptides, if needed.
  • End-gestation placenta from both mice and humans isminced and a homogeneous cell suspension prepared according to established protocols.
  • the cell suspension is mixed with lentivirus for a period of at least 24 hrs and then FACS is utilized to collect cells expressing tdTomato.
  • the control lentivirus is utilized in separate tubes of the corresponding cell suspension to set the appropriate gates for FACS.
  • Cdx2-positive cells are then co-cultured on feeder layers of cardiac mesenchymal fibroblasts (CMF) and separately, on feeder layers of neonatal cardiomyocytes. Live-imaging microscopy is utilized to document the differentiation pathways of the Cdx2 cells.
  • CMF cardiac mesenchymal fibroblasts
  • Immunofluorescence staining with antibodies to VE-Cadherin, CD31, alpha-smooth muscle actin, alpha-actinin, and cardiac troponin T is performed to assay for differentiation to the endothelial cell, smooth muscle cell, or cardiomyocyte fate once the cells are fixed.
  • Hfpcs are sorted from cell suspensions of end-gestation mouse placentas utilizing the GFP marker by mating wild-type virgin mice with GFP-expressing male transgenic mice, thus assuring that approximately 50% of fetuses express GFP. These are also co-cultured with the feeder layers described above and their differentiation characteristics are monitored also as described above. These experiments allow for determination of the precise cell type(s) that is(are) capable of differentiating to spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes in vitro as recently demonstrated.
  • Antibodies to CD9 will be used as described above to confirm its expression on Cdx2 cells isolated from murine and human placenta, and to exclude its expression on the cell surfaces of other stem cell types isolated from placenta.
  • High throughput proteomics studies such as two dimensional gel electrophoresis, liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry, will also be used in order to identify cell surface markers of Cdx2 cells if CD9 does not appear to be a unique cell surface marker expressed by Cdx2 cells from placenta.
  • Nude, athymic, female rats are utilized for these experiments with four groups to be tested as follows: 1) Group 1 will undergo MI via ligation of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). This results in a 30% infarction of the left ventricle as previously demonstrated (Woo et al, 2006). After allowing one week of recovery, the chest will be re-opened and the animals will receive Cdx2 cells that have been collected utilizing the Cdx2 lentivirus from end-gestation rat placentas obtained from a different group of female rats. 10 6 cells will be injected into the peri-infarct border zone at ten distinct, equally spaced sites. Cell delivery will be performed in a blinded manner.
  • the chest will be closed, and the animals will be monitored over a 3-month period. Echocardiography will be utilized to assess cardiac function at baseline, 1 week after MI prior to cell injection, 1 month post cell injection, and at 3 months post-cell injection. The animals will then undergo hemodynamic studies with LV pressure catheters prior to sacrifice at 3 months post cell injection. Hearts will be collected and infarction sizes will be measured using Masson Trichrome staining according to conventional methods (Woo et al, 2006). Tissue sections will be prepared from infarct zone, peri-infarct border zone and remote zones; and cellular differentiation will be analyzed using immunofluorescence.
  • Antibodies to VE-Cadherin, CD31, alpha-smooth muscle actin, alpha-actinin, and cardiac troponin T will be utilized to assay differentiation to endothelial, smooth muscle and cardiac lineages. Co-immunostaining with antibody to tdTomato will be performed to ascertain whether the Cdx2 cells give rise to these diverse cardiac lineages in the in vivo infarct model. All echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and histologic studies will be performed in a blinded manner. 2) Group 2 will undergo MI via LAD ligation. One week later, they will receive 10 6 hfpcs via direct injection in the peri-infarct border as described above.
  • the hfpcs will be obtained from the end-gestation placentas of a different group of female rats, and mononuclear cells will be isolated utilizing FACS sorting based on the presence of the Y-chromosome to ensure they are of fetal origin. Echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and histologic analyses will be performed as described above. 3) Group 3 will undergo MI via LAD ligation and one week later, will receive 10 6 rat cardiac fibroblasts. This will ensure that any evidence of cardiac repair we note in Groups 1 and 2 is due to the presence of stem or progenitor cells and not due to nonspecific cell effects of preventing scar expansion. Echocardiography, hemodynamic, and histologic analyses will be performed as describe above. 4) Group 4 will undergo MI via LAD ligation and one week later, will receive PBS control injections in ten (10) distinct peri-infarct sites. Echocardiography, hemodynamic, and histologic analyses will be performed as describe above.
  • a 4-5 mm flow probe (Transonics, Ithaca, N.Y.) will be placed around the mid-LAD to measure coronary volume flow.
  • a solid-state miniature pressure transducer (P22, Konigsberg Instruments, Pasadena, Calif.) will be placed in the LV apex for high-fidelity recordings of LV pressure. Additional pacing leads will be secured in the left atrial appendage for pacing during hemodynamic measurements.
  • MI will be induced by a 60-min occlusion of the LAD, followed by reperfusion. There will be 12 animals per group and three groups will be tested.
  • Animals will be randomized to receive intramyocardial injections of either human Cdx2 cells or human hfpcs (depending on the best results group from rat study) [10 6 cells].
  • the second group of animals will receive 10 6 human fibroblasts, and the third will receive PBS control injections. All injections will be performed in a blinded manner.
  • an immunosuppressive regimen of IV prednisone and IV tacrolimus/cyclosporine will be utilized according to prior experience of the SJTR1 team in a different stem cell therapy study.
  • Four additional animals will undergo surgical preparation and instrumentation without coronary occlusion for the assessment of hemodynamic values in the absence of MI. Hemodynamics in the infarcted animals will be re-assessed six weeks post-MI.
  • Pressure-dimension data will be recorded at steady state and during transient inferior vena cava occlusion.
  • Myocardial contractility and/or work will be indexed by the maximal rate of isovolumetric contraction (+dP/dt), stroke work (SW), and ventricular elastance, the slope of the end-systolic pressure—dimension relationship (Ees) (Hare et al., 1999).
  • Preload will be analyzed as end-diastolic dimension and pressure, and afterload will be evaluated as effective arterial elastance (Kelly et al., 1992), the ratio of LV end-systolic pressure to stroke dimension.
  • Hemodynamic pressure-dimension data will be digitized at 200 Hz and stored for subsequent analysis on a personal computer by using custom software.
  • Myocardial oxygen consumption per cardiac cycle (MVO2) will be calculated from the arteriovenous difference of oxygen saturation in simultaneously sampled coronary sinus and aortic blood, multiplied by LAD flow and divided by heart rate. Cardiac mechanical efficiency will be calculated as the SW/MVO2 ratio (Ekelund et al., 1999).
  • Transthoracic echocardiography (SONOS 5500) and MRI (GE 1.5 T Cardiac Magnetic Resonance stand with a short 1.2 meter bore and body coils optimized for F-19) will be utilized to assess ventricular function prior to MI and six weeks post-MI.
  • Myocardial fibrosis will be determined as a percentage of the left ventricle from whole-heart slices.
  • hearts will be excised and sectioned into 8-mm-thick short-axis slices. Each slice will be weighed and digitally photographed. Analysis will be performed using Masson trichrome staining using conventional methods (Cheng et al., 2007). Infarcted areas and LV borders will be manually traced for each slice by using a custom research software package IMAGE ANALYSIS 4.0.2 beta version (Scion, Frederick, Md.). Infarct size will be determined, in a blinded fashion, as percentage of LV mass from the digital pictures and normalized by the weight of the slice.
  • Myofilament density will be measured at the border zones by counting the numbers of cardiomyocytes (delineated by immunostaining for a-actinin) per high-power field and averaging over at least three mid-ventricular transverse sections per heart (Woo et al., 2006).
  • eGFP enhanced green fluorescent protein TS trophoblast stem; Cdx2 Caudal-related homeobox2; ES embryonic stem; RT room temperature; WT wild type; MI myocardial infarction; FACS fluorescence activated cell sorting; CMFs cardiac mesenchymal feeders; VE-cad VE-Cadherin; ROIs regions of interest; ⁇ -sarc alpha-sarcomeric actin; cTnT cardiac troponin T; Cx43 connexin 43; and ⁇ -SMA alpha-smooth muscle actin.

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US11963983B2 (en) 2011-11-07 2024-04-23 Icahn School Of Medicine At Mount Sinai Methods of cardiac repair

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HK1202251A1 (en) 2015-09-25
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US20170333487A1 (en) 2017-11-23

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