Intracoronary infusion (ICI) of CD133⁺ and CD133^-CD34⁺ selected autologous bone marrow (BM) progenitor cells in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (CIC): Cell isolation, adherence to the infarcted area and body distribution

¹ Stem Cell Transplant Unit, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Thivon and Levadias, Athens, Greece
² Department of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
³ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece
⁴ Immunology Department and National Histocompatibility Center, "G. Genimmatas" General District Hospital, Athens, Greece

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bmtlab{at}paidon-agiasofia.gr.

	Abstract

Central issues in ICI of BM-cells to damaged myocardium for improving cardiac function are the cell number that is feasible and safe to be administrated as well as the retention of cells in the target area. Our study addressed these issues in eight patients with CIC undergoing ICI of selected BM-progenitors. We could immunomagnetically isolate 0.8±0.32X10⁷ CD133⁺ cells and 0.75±0.24X10⁷ CD133^- CD34⁺ cells from 310±40 ml BM. After labeling these cells with Tc^99m- hexamethylpropylenamineoxime (HMPAO), they were infused into the infarct-related artery without any complication. Scintigraphic images 1h (8 patients) and 24h (4 patients) after ICI revealed an uptake of 9.2%±3.6 and 6.8%±2.4 of the total infused radioactivity in the infarcted area of the heart, respectively; the remaining activity was distributed mainly to liver and spleen. We conclude that through ICI of CD133⁺ and CD133^-CD34⁺ BM-progenitors a significant number of them are preferentially attracted to and retained in the chronic ischemic myocardium.