COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR MESENCHYMAL/STROMAL STEM CELL REJUVENATION AND TISSUE REPAIR BY ENHANCED CO-EXPRESSION OF TELOMERASE AND MYOCARDIN

摘要

A major risk factor for ischemic heart disease is advanced age. In adult bone marrow and other tissues, the number and function of stem cells decline with aging. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is a nuclear protein that decreases senescence. Myocardin (MYOCD) is a transcription factor for myogenesis. Thus a method is provided for the simultaneous delivery of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and myocardin MYOCD genes that resuscitates mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from aged adipose and bone marrow tissues by increasing their capacity for survival, proliferation, and differentiation. TERT⁺/MYOCD⁺ MSCs restores a capacity for repairing ischemic tissues via improved blood flow and revascularization.