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Doris A Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to Doris A Taylor.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Neovascularization in intimal hyperplasia is associated with vein graft failure after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Vein graft atherosclerosis is the major limitation of arterial bypass surgery. This study was carried out to determine if the number of microvessels per area of intimal hyperplasia correlated with vein graft disease. Vein grafts (n=24, graft age range 2-19 years) were taken from 22 patients undergoing redo-coronary artery bypass surgery. Mean age of the patients was 68 +/- 9 years; 92% were males. Samples were divided into three groups (n=8 per group): in group I segments were from grafts without angiographic or histologic disease, in groups II and III segments were from grafts with significant angiographic stenosis, without (group II) and with (group III) atheroma. Intimal hyperplasia was identified by Masson staining, morphometric analysis was performed with NIH image analysis software. Microvessels in the intimal hyperplasia were identified using immunohistochemical techniques. Significance was determined by single-factor ANOVA p < 0.05. The mean area of intimal hyperplasia was similar in groups I and II at 1.06 +/- 0.25 mm2 and 0.97 +/- 0.37 mm2, respectively. The extent of intimal hyperplasia was significantly greater in group III, 1.70 +/- 0.62 mm2 (p < 0.01). In group I, the microvessel count in the intimal hyperplasia was 5.62 +/- 3.89 vessels/mm2, while in group III it was 15.26 +/- 3.66/mm2 (p < 0.01 versus group I). Interestingly the number of microvessels per area of intimal hyperplasia in group II was similar to that in group III). In this study, the extent of neovascularization in intimal hyperplasia correlated with stenoses in human vein grafts. Strategies designed to limit neovascularization in intimal hyperplasia may lead to novel therapies to prevent vein graft failure.

Aged↗

Improved efficacy of stem cell labeling for magnetic resonance imaging studies by the use of cationic liposomes.

Labeling stem cells with FDA-approved superparamagnetic iron oxide particles makes it possible to track cells in vivo with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but high intracellular levels of iron can cause free radical formation and cytotoxicity. We hypothesized that the use of cationic liposomes would increase labeling efficiency without toxic effects. Rabbit skeletal myoblasts were labeled with iron oxide by: 1) uptake of iron oxide incorporated into cationic transfection liposomes (group I) or 2) customary endocytosis (group II). In both groups, cell proliferation and differentiation were measured and toxicity was assayed using trypan blue and ratio fluorescence microscopy with BODIPY 581/591 C11. The effects of the intracellular iron oxide on magnetic resonance image intensities were assessed in vitro and in vivo. Both methods resulted in uptake of iron intracellularly, yielding contrast-inducing properties on MRI images. In group II, however, incubation with iron oxide at high concentrations required for endocytosis caused generation of free radicals, a decrease in proliferation, and cell death. Cytotoxic effects in the remaining cells were still visible 24 h after incubation. Conversely, in group I, sufficient intracellular uptake for detection in vivo by MRI could be achieved at 100-fold lower concentrations of iron oxide, which resulted in a high percentage of labeled cells, high retention of the label, and no cytotoxic effects even after stressing the cells with a hypoxia-reoxygenation insult. The use of cationic liposomes for iron oxide stem cell labeling increases labeling efficiency approximately 100-fold without toxic effects. This technique results in high-contrast-inducing properties on MRI images both in vitro and in vivo and could thus be a valuable tool for tracking stem cells noninvasively.

Animals↗

Endoventricular transplantation of allogenic skeletal myoblasts in a porcine model of myocardial infarction.

PURPOSE: To assess the technical feasibility of percutaneous endoventricular injection of skeletal myoblasts into an infarcted porcine myocardium. METHODS: A skeletal muscle biopsy was obtained from a donor pig and processed for myoblast expansion in vitro. Myocardial infarction was induced in a host pig via fibrin coil placement in the left anterior descending artery. Four weeks later, electromechanical mapping of the left ventricle identified the infarction site, into which approximately 200 million allogenic cells obtained from the muscle biopsy were directly injected (0.1 mL/injection at 25 sites) from inside the ventricular cavity via a needle injection catheter inserted through the femoral artery. Ten days after transplantation, the injected heart was evaluated histologically for the presence of myoblasts. RESULTS: Electrocardiography, echocardiography, left ventricular angiography, and electromechanical mapping confirmed the myocardial infarction. During the cell transfer procedure, premature ventricular contractions confirmed needle placement in the endocardium. Histological evaluation of the host heart 10 days after cell transfer revealed living myoblasts and multinucleated myotubes in the infarcted region, indicating successful transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Direct myoblast transplantation into infarcted porcine myocardium using an endoventricular injection was technically feasible. The results in this model show that transplanted myoblasts were able to survive for 10 days after transplantation.

Animals↗

Alterations in endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis contribute to vascular remodeling following hind-limb ischemia in rabbits.

Hind-limb ischemia is a potent stimulus for angiogenesis. However, capillary density does not change in tibialis anterior muscle (TA) following hind-limb ischemia, despite increases in angiogenic growth factors. The objective of this study was to determine whether changes in proliferation and apoptosis occurred in the same muscle. In total, 19 New Zealand white rabbits underwent femoral artery ligation and excision and the ischemic and contra-lateral (control) TA muscles were harvested after 1 (n = 7), 5 (n = 7) and 21 (n= 5). Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect apoptosis and double staining was used to identify the apoptotic cell types. Proliferation was assessed by immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and [3H]thymidine incorporation, in vitro. TUNEL positive nuclei were greater in ischemic than control muscle at 1 day (1.83 +/- 0.70% vs 1.03 +/- 0.20%), 5 days (2.13 +/- 0.50% vs 1.21 +/- 0.42%) and at 21 days the difference was statistically significant (3.42 +/- 0.80% vs 0.96 +/- 0.40%, p < 0.01). The majority of TUNEL positive nuclei were endothelial (Tie2 positive) cells. The number of PCNA positive cells in ischemic versus control muscle was similar at 1 day (0.71 +/- 0.20% vs 0.53 +/- 0.20%) and 5 days (1.28 +/- 0.30% vs 0.77 +/- 0.30%), but was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in ischemic muscle at 21 days (0.18 +/- 0.20% vs 1.35 +/- 0.30%) with no difference in [3H]thymidine incorporation. Directionally opposite changes in endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis occur in TA muscle following hind-limb ischemia. Modulating apoptosis in ischemic skeletal muscle may present a novel therapeutic target in peripheral arterial disease.

Animals↗

Cellular cardiomyoplasty with autologous skeletal myoblasts for ischemic heart disease and heart failure.

Cell transplantation to repair or regenerate injured myocardium is a new frontier in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Even though it is based on many years of pre-clinical studies, much remains to be understood about this methodology, even as it progresses to the clinic. For example, controversies exist over the specific cells to be used, the dosages needed for tissue repair, how cells will affect the electrical activity of the myocardium, and even whether the cells can improve myocardial function after transplantation - all of which are briefly reviewed here. Autologous skeletal myoblasts appear to be the most well studied and best first generation cells for cardiac repair. Yet cardiocytes and, more recently, stem cells have been proposed as cell sources for this technology. Their advantages and limitations are also discussed. Although cellular cardiomyoplasty (cell transplantation for cardiac repair) shows great pre-clinical promise, its future will heavily depend on conducting carefully controlled, randomized clinical trials with appropriate endpoints. Utilizing biologically active cells provides both an opportunity for tissue repair and the potential for not yet understood outcomes. As with any frontier, many pioneers will attempt to conquer it. But also as with any frontier, there are pitfalls and consequences to be considered that may surpass those of previous endeavors. The future thus requires careful consideration and well-designed trials rather than haste. The promise for cell transplantation is too great to be spoiled by ill-designed attempts that forget to account for the biology of both the cells and the myocardium.

Journal Article↗