Effects of implantation of bone marrow cells on cytokine levels in the ischemic heart tissue. An experimental study

30 adult male Wistar albino rats from the same colony were used. After anterior myocardial infarction induced by occlusion of the left anterior descending artery, they were divided into two groups (Group I and Group II). 2 × 107 bone marrow cells suspended in 0.1 ml phosphate-buffered saline solution and 0.1 ml phosphate-buffered saline solution were injected at six points in the infarcted area in Group I and Group II respectively. Changes in the vascular density and, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule and cytokine levels in the infarcted myocardium after bone marrow cells implantation were examined.The implantation assay showed that bone marrow cells induced angiogenesis. Light microscopic analysis of the vascular density in the ischemic area showed that, angiogenesis had been induced to higher in Group I than Group II. Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule and the inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α in Group I were significantly elevated compared with those in Group II.Bone marrow cells implantation induced angiogenesis in a rat ischemic heart model as a result of increase of the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule, interleukin-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α.Although medical therapy and coronary revascularization techniques such as percutaneous balloon angioplasty and stenting or surgical procedures improve the prognosis and survey on coronary artery disease, a substantial number of patients are failed despite maximal conventional therapy because of not being suitable for coronary revascularization. Improvement of neovascularization techniques attenuates myocardial ischemia in coronary artery disease. In order to promote neovascularization, several therapeutic strategies have been developed including the addition of angiogenic growth factors [1,2].Cell transplantation is a novel therapeutic option for myocardial re