Myogenic Development and Protection of Stem Cells Against Inflammation and Apoptosis By Statins and Isoprenoid Pathway Inhibitors
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorYong-Jian Geng
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Abstract
A method of enhancing survival and differentiation of stem cells, and cells of myogenic lineage derived from said stem cells, when the cells are exposed to an inflammatory or apoptotic stimulus comprises culturing stem cells in vitro in a medium containing a statin, to produce statin-pretreated cells with enhanced resistance to inflammatory or apoptotic stimuli. Additionally, the statin-pretreated cells may be caused or allowed to differentiate into statin-pretreated cells of myogenic lineage (e.g., cells having a vascular or cardiac myocyte phenotype). The resulting inflammation- and apoptosis resistant cells may then be used for cell therapy, as in treating an ischemic or infarcted vessel or heart.
Claims25
A method of enhancing survival and differentiation of stem cells and cells of myogenic lineage derived from said stem cells, when said cells are exposed to an inflammatory or apoptotic stimulus, the method comprising:
- culturing stem cells in vitro in a medium containing a statin, to produce statin-pretreated cells with enhanced resistance to inflammatory or apoptotic stimuli;
- and,
- optionally, allowing said statin-pretreated cells to differentiate in the presence of said statin, to produce statin-pretreated cells of myogenic lineage.
A method of protecting implanted embryonic stem cells, or cells of myogenic lineage derived from said stem cells, from the cytotoxic effects of inflammatory or apoptotic stimuli, the method comprising:
- transplanting into a vascular or cardiac tissue of a mammal a plurality of in vitro statin-pretreated embryonic stem cells, or statin-pretreated cells of myogenic lineage derived from said stem cells, whereupon apoptosis in the transplanted statin-pretreated cells is inhibited.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.