Conventional strategies of stem cell injection in treating myocardial infarction (MI) remain a challenge because of low retention rate and insufficient secretion of exogenous cytokines for efficiently improving the microenvironment in the infarcted myocardium, thus hampering the therapeutic effect. Herein, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles modified with human VE-cad-Fc fusion protein are fabricated and integrated with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to construct functionalized MSC aggregates (FMAs). This fusion protein can effectively promote the paracrine activity of MSCs. The FMA is encapsulated with an injectable hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogel, which is prepared by Schiff base reaction between oxidized HA (OHA) and hydrazided HA (HHA). The OHA@HHA hydrogel loading FMA is injected into the infarcted myocardium of rats, thereby efficiently improving the MI microenvironment in terms of decreased expressions of inflammatory cytokines and upregulated secretion of angiogenic factors compared to the plain hydrogel only and hydrogel encapsulating MSCs. The results of both echocardiography and histological analyses demonstrate the efficient reconstruction of cardiac function and structure and revascularization in the infarct myocardium. The delivery of functionalized stem cell aggregates with an injectable hydrogel offers a promising strategy for treating myocardial infarction and may be expanded to other tissue repair and reconstruction.
Keywords: angiogenesis; cadherin fusion proteins; microenvironment; stem cell therapy; three-dimensional aggregates.