Amir Kashani

What are the advantages and limitations of iPSCs against MSCs in cardiomyocytes in post-MI models?

Started June 4, 2025

Abstract or project description

Project Description: This project evaluates the comparative efficacy of cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CMs) and and those derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-CMs) in post-myocardial infarction (post-MI) across different biological models. The project focuses on both cell types' ability to achieve effective electrical and mechanical integration into host myocardium and restore functional cardiac performance. The data will be pulled from 12 medical studies, being split with 6 and 6 being from iPSC-CMs and MSC-CMs in post-MI trials respectively. The analysis draws from both preclinical and clinical data to compare these endpoints across a range of models to determine which cardiomyocyte source offers more consistent and clinically impactful benefits for myocardial repair.

Hypothesis: iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes will integrate more effectively and improve LVEF to a greater extent than MSC-derived cardiomyocytes, due to their closer match to native heart cells. However, MSC-derived cardiomyocytes will offer better survival and electrical stability in damaged post-MI tissue.

5 references:

1. PNAS.org, Cardiomyocytes from phorbol myristate acetate-activated mesenchymal stem cells restore electromechanical function in infarcted rat hearts

2. AHA Journals, Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Myocardial Infarction: Promises and Pitfalls

3. AHA Journals, Electrophysiological Challenges of Cell-Based Myocardial Repair

4. Stem Cell Research BMC, Genetically modified mesenchymal stromal cells: a cell-based therapy offering more efficient repair after myocardial infarction

5. Stem Cell Research BMC, Cardiac repair in a murine model of myocardial infarction with human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes