Paracrine action accounts for marked protection of ischemic heart by AKT modified mesenchymal stem cells

Intramyocardial injection of adult bone marrow-derived stem cells has recently been proposed as potential therapy to repair damaged myocardium after acute infarction. The mechanism underlying their therapeutic effect have not been clearly defined, with an intense debate over differentiation versus fusion. In this report, we provide evidence for a novel mechanism that involves the secretion of paracrine cytoprotective factor(s) from the stem cells