AUTHOR=Pang Yanan , Ma Minglu , Wang Dong , Xia Jiacun , Wang Xinyue , Hou Lei , Wang Zhiguo , Li Xun 

TITLE=Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Attenuate Transverse Aortic Constriction Induced Heart Failure by Increasing Angiogenesis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2021.638771

DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2021.638771

ISSN=2297-055X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Although there are concerns regarding their clinical use, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) hold a great promise for cardiac repair. Exosomes deriving from ESCs constitute a promising alternative for heart restoration. However, their effects in hypertension-induced heart failure are still unknown.</p><p><bold>Objective and Methods:</bold> To investigate the effects of ESCs-derived exosomes on hypertension-induced heart failure and the underlying mechanisms, sustained transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was performed on 8-week-old C57BL/6 male mice. After 1 months, ESCs-derived exosomes were isolated and injected intravenously once a week for 6 weeks. Echocardiography, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Masson staining, immunohistochemistry, and tube formation assays were all involved in our study.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Proteomics analyses revealed that ESC-derived exosomes contain FGF2 protein. Tube formation induced by these exosomes could be inhibited by FGF2R siRNA interference. ESCs-derived exosomes evidently attenuated TAC-induced heart failure, improving cardiac function and promoting myocardial angiogenesis which can be attenuated by selective FGF2 inhibitor AZD4547.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> ESC-derived exosomes attenuate TAC-induced heart failure mostly by promoting myocardial angiogenesis. FGF2 signaling plays a vital role in the myocardial angiogenesis induced by ESC-derived exosomes.</p>