Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of tissue-engineered amniotic membrane (AM) in the treatment of myocardial infarction lesions.
Materials & methods: 20 rats were subjected to coronary arterial ligation in order to induce myocardial infarction injury. Decellularized human AMs were seeded with 2 × 105 adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and were implanted in the infarcted hearts.
Results & conclusion: Histological and immunohistochemical evaluations indicated the regeneration of cardiomyocytes and reduction of inflammation and fibrosis in the patch-implanted group compared with a control group, 14 days after the surgery. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate biotin nick-end labeling assay was suggestive for apoptosis reduction in the patch-implanted specimens. This study suggested that human AM can be developed into a novel treatment for treating postmyocardial infarction.
Keywords: adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells; amniotic membrane; angiogenesis; cardiac patch; cardiomyocyte regeneration; left anterior descending; myocardial infarction; regenerative medicine; stem cell therapy; tissue engineering.