A Bioengineered Neuregulin-Hydrogel Therapy Reduces Scar Size and Enhances Post-Infarct Ventricular Contractility in an Ovine Large Animal Model. Journal of cardiovascular development and disease Cohen, J. E., Goldstone, A. B., Wang, H. n., Purcell, B. P., Shudo, Y. n., MacArthur, J. W., Steele, A. N., Paulsen, M. J., Edwards, B. B., Aribeana, C. N., Cheung, N. C., Burdick, J. A., Woo, Y. J. 2020; 7 (4)

Abstract

The clinical efficacy of neuregulin (NRG) in the treatment of heart failure is hindered by off-target exposure due to systemic delivery. We previously encapsulated neuregulin in a hydrogel (HG) for targeted and sustained myocardial delivery, demonstrating significant induction of cardiomyocyte proliferation and preservation of post-infarct cardiac function in a murine myocardial infarction (MI) model. Here, we performed a focused evaluation of our hydrogel-encapsulated neuregulin (NRG-HG) therapy's potential to enhance cardiac function in an ovine large animal MI model. Adult male Dorset sheep (n = 21) underwent surgical induction of MI by coronary artery ligation. The sheep were randomized to receive an intramyocardial injection of saline, HG only, NRG only, or NRG-HG circumferentially around the infarct borderzone. Eight weeks after MI, closed-chest intracardiac pressure-volume hemodynamics were assessed, followed by heart explant for infarct size analysis. Compared to each of the control groups, NRG-HG significantly augmented left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.006) and contractility based on the slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship (p = 0.006). NRG-HG also significantly reduced infarct scar size (p = 0.002). Overall, using a bioengineered hydrogel delivery system, a one-time dose of NRG delivered intramyocardially to the infarct borderzone at the time of MI in adult sheep significantly reduces scar size and enhances ventricular contractility at 8 weeks after MI.

View details for DOI 10.3390/jcdd7040053

View details for PubMedID 33212844