Differentiation of Human Dermal Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Cardiomyocytes by Treatment with 5-Azacytidine: Concept for Regenerative Therapy in Myocardial Infarction

The document describes a study where human dermal mesenchymal stem cells (hDMSCs) were differentiated into cardiomyocytes using 5-azacytidine, with the aim of developing regenerative therapy for myocardial infarction (MI). The hDMSCs, obtained from a human scalp punch biopsy, maintained mesenchymal characteristics and pluripotency markers. Morphological changes and the expression of cardiac-specific genes such as α-cardiac actin, cardiac troponin T, and ß-myosin heavy chain were observed, indicating successful differentiation. The optimal differentiation protocol involved a 48-hour treatment with 5-azacytidine followed by a 15-day differentiation period. The study suggests that hDMSCs could be a less invasive source for generating patient-specific cardiomyocytes for MI treatment, but further research is needed for clinical application. The number of subjects or cells used in the study was not provided.