Cardium Therapeutics reported on an NIH-funded, pre-clinical study conducted by independent researchers at the University of Cincinnati entitled IGF-1--Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells Accelerate Bone Marrow Stem Cell Mobilization via Paracrine Activation of SDF-1 alpha/CXCR4 to Promote Myocardial Repair that was published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation Research.

The investigators reported that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be potentiated by introducing Ad5IGF-1 into the cells while they are being processed outside of the body or ex vivo. Upon reintroduction into the body, these Ad5IGF-1 activated stem cells substantially reduced heart attack related tissue damage (infarct size), caused extensive angiomyogenesis, and improved left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening. MSCs not treated with Ad5IGF-1 had significantly less therapeutic effect in this preclinical model of heart attack. The authors concluded that the observed synergy between MSCs and Ad5IGF-1 in myocardial regeneration after a heart attack may be due to IGF-1-induced release of various cytokines and chemokines, including SDF-1 alpha, contributing to massive stem cell mobilization from the bone marrow and their increased homing in the injured heart muscle.