Autologous skeletal myoblast patch implantation prevents the deterioration of myocardial ischemia and right heart dysfunction in a pressure-overloaded right heart porcine model.

Right ventricular dysfunction is a predictor for worse outcomes in patients with congenital heart disease. Myocardial ischemia is primarily associated with right ventricular dysfunction in patients with congenital heart disease and may be a therapeutic target for right ventricular dysfunction. Previously, autologous skeletal myoblast patch therapy showed an angiogenic effect for left ventricular dysfunction through cytokine paracrine effects; however, its efficacy in right ventricular dysfunction has not been evaluated. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the angiogenic effect of autologous skeletal myoblast patch therapy and amelioration of metabolic and functional dysfunction, in a pressure-overloaded right heart porcine model. Pulmonary artery stenosis was induced by a vascular occluder in minipigs; after two months, autologous skeletal myoblast patch implantation on the right ventricular free wall was performed (n = 6). The control minipigs underwent a sham operation (n = 6). The autologous skeletal myoblast patch therapy alleviated right ventricular dilatation and ameliorated right ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction. 11C-acetate kinetic analysis using positron emission tomography showed improvement in myocardial oxidative metabolism and myocardial flow reserve after cell patch implantation. On histopathology, a higher capillary density and vascular maturity with reduction of myocardial ischemia were observed after patch implantation. Furthermore, analysis of mRNA expression revealed that the angiogenic markers were upregulated, and ischemic markers were downregulated after patch implantation. Thus, autologous skeletal myoblast patch therapy ameliorated metabolic and functional dysfunction in a pressure-overloaded right heart porcine model, by alleviating myocardial ischemia through angiogenesis.