Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Heart Failure

Dear Colleagues,

After more than two decades, cell therapy for heart disease continues to be one of the most important (and controversial) topics in cardiovascular medicine. Overwhelming preclinical evidence shows that many different cell types are effective in improving cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Phase I and II clinical trials suggest potential beneficial effects, particularly in the settings of chronic heart failure and refractory angina. In heart failure, Phase II data suggest improvement in major adverse cardiac events and cardiac function, both in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together leading investigators in order to disseminate the latest information, at both preclinical and clinical levels, on the use of adult cells as a therapy for heart failure. As embryonic stem cells are unlikely to become a treatment for heart failure, this Special Issue will focus on adult stem/progenitor cells and inducible pluripotent stem cells. At the clinical level, new clinical data, new delivery techniques, new cell types, new protocols, and new indications would be of particular interest. At the basic level, the major unanswered question is the mechanism by which cell therapy improves cardiac function; new data illuminating this issue would be important, particularly with regard to the role of inflammation, fibrosis, and extracellular vesicles. Strategies to induce cellular reprogramming and to promote myocyte proliferation would also be of interest. By addressing both preclinical and clinical aspects, it is hoped that this Special Issue will contribute to advancing the promising development of cell therapy for heart failure.

Prof. Dr. Roberto Bolli
Guest Editor

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