Reprogramming non-cardiomyocytes (non-CMs) into cardiomyocyte (CM)-like cells is a promising strategy for cardiac regeneration in conditions such as ischemic heart disease. Here, we used a modified mRNA (modRNA) gene delivery platform to deliver a cocktail of four cardiac-reprogramming genes (Gata4 (G), Mef2c (M), Tbx5 (T) and Hand2 (H)) together with three reprogramming-helper genes (Dominant Negative (DN)-TGFβ, DN-Wnt8a and Acid ceramidase (AC)), termed 7G-modRNA, to induce CM-like cells. We showed that 7G-modRNA reprogrammed 57% of CM-like cells in vitro. Through a lineage-tracing model, we determined that delivering the 7G-modRNA cocktail at the time of myocardial infarction reprogrammed ∼25% of CM-like cells in the scar area and significantly improved cardiac function, scar size, long-term survival and capillary density. Mechanistically, we determined that while 7G-modRNA cannot create de-novo beating CMs in vitro or in vivo, it can significantly upregulate pro-angiogenic mesenchymal stromal cells markers and transcription factors. We also demonstrated that our 7G-modRNA cocktail leads to neovascularization in ischemic-limb injury, indicating CM-like cells importance in other organs besides the heart. modRNA is currently being used around the globe for vaccination against COVID-19, and this study proves this is a safe, highly efficient gene delivery approach with therapeutic potential to treat ischemic diseases.Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
About The Expert
Keerat Kaur
Yoav Hadas
Ann Anu Kurian
Magdalena M Żak
Jimeen Yoo
Asharee Mahmood
Hanna Girard
Rinat Komargodski
Toshiro Io
Maria Paola Santini
Nishat Sultana
Mohammad Tofael Kabir Sharkar
Ajit Magadum
Anthony Fargnoli
Seonghun Yoon
Elena Chepurko
Vadim Chepurko
Efrat Eliyahu
Dalila Pinto
Djamel Lebeche
Jason C Kovacic
Roger J Hajjar
Shahin Rafii
Lior Zangi
References
PubMed