Surgical Porcine Model of Chronic Myocardial Ischemia Treated by Exosome-laden Collagen Patch and Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Summary

This study presents a surgical porcine model of chronic myocardial ischemia due to progressive coronary artery stenosis, resulting in impaired cardiac function without infarction. Following ischemia, animals undergo off-pump coronary artery bypass graft with epicardial placement of stem cells-derived exosomes-laden collagen patch. This adjunctive therapy improves myocardial function and recovery.

Abstract

Chronic myocardial ischemia resulting from progressive coronary artery stenosis leads to hibernating myocardium (HIB), defined as myocardium that adapts to reduced oxygen availability by reducing metabolic activity, thereby preventing irreversible cardiomyocyte injury and infarction. This is distinct from myocardial infarction, as HIB has the potential for recovery with revascularization. Patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) experience chronic ischemia, which puts them at risk for heart failure and sudden death. The standard surgical intervention for severe CAD is coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), but it has been shown to be an imperfect therapy, yet no adjunctive therapies exist to recover myocytes adapted to chronic ischemia. To address this gap, a surgical model of HIB using porcine that is amenable to CABG and mimics the clinical scenario was used. The model involves two surgeries. The first operation involves implanting a 1.5 mm rigid constrictor on the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. As the animal grows, the constrictor gradually causes significant stenosis resulting in reduced regional systolic function. Once the stenosis reaches 80%, the myocardial flow and function are impaired, creating HIB. An off-pump CABG is then performed with the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to revascularize the ischemic region. The animal recovers for one month to allow for optimal myocardial improvement prior to sacrifice. This allows for physiologic and tissue studies of different treatment groups. This animal model demonstrates that cardiac function remains impaired despite CABG, suggesting the need for novel adjunctive interventions. In this study, a collagen patch embedded with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes was developed, which can be surgically applied to the epicardial surface distal to LIMA anastomosis. The material conforms to the epicardium, is absorbable, and provides the scaffold for the sustained release of signaling factors. This regenerative therapy can stimulate myocardial recovery that does not respond to revascularization alone. This model translates to the clinical arena by providing means of physiological and mechanistic explorations regarding recovery in HIB.

Introduction

Globally, severe CAD affects over a hundred million patients, and although the mortality rate has decreased, it remains one of the leading causes of death^1,2. CAD has a wide clinical spectrum from myocardial infarction (MI) to ischemia with preserved viability. Most pre-clinical research focuses on MI, characterized by the presence of infarcted tissue as it is possible to study in small and large animal models. However, that model does not address patients with preserved viability and amenable to revascularization. Most patients undergoing CABG have decreased blood supply and limited function while maintaining variability in contractile reserve and viability³. Without treatment, these patients can progress to advanced heart failure and sudden death, especially during increased workload⁴. Among these patients, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is an effective therapy but may not result in complete functional recovery⁵. Importantly, diastolic dysfunction, which is a marker for worse clinical outcomes, fails to recover after revascularization suggesting the need for novel adjuvant therapies during CABG^6,7. Currently, there are no clinically available adjuvant interventions used with CABG to restore cardiomyocytes to full functional capacity. This is a major therapeutic gap given that many patients progress to advanced heart failure despite appropriate revascularization⁸.

An innovative porcine model of chronic myocardial ischemia that is amenable to CABG, to mimic clinical CAD experience was created⁹. Swine provide a good model of heart disease over other large animals as they do not have epicardial bridging collaterals so stenosis of the LAD alone results in regional ischemia¹⁰. In this study, 16-week-old female Yorkshire-Landrace pigs were used. In this model, the LAD was revascularized with off-pump CABG using the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft (Supplementary Table 1). Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not possible to open the stenosis as the constrictor is a rigid device. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to assess global and regional function, coronary anatomy, and tissue viability. Cardiac MRI analysis showed diastolic function, characterized by peak filling rate (PFR) remains impaired despite CABG⁶. The mechanism of diastolic dysfunction likely relates to impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics and collagen formation in HIB that persist following CABG¹¹.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) provide therapeutic signaling through exosomes to improve myocardial recovery when applied during CABG. In this swine model and parallel in vitro studies, it was shown that placement of an epicardial MSC vicryl patch during CABG recovers contractile function with increase in key mitochondrial proteins namely PGC-1α¹², an important regulator of mitochondrial energy metabolism¹³. The in vitro model allowed us to investigate the signaling mechanism of MSCs on impaired mitochondrial function. Exosomes are secreted stable microvesicles (50-150 nm) that contain protein or nucleic acids including microRNA (miRNA)¹⁴. Recent in vitro data suggest that MSC-derived exosomes are an important signaling mechanism necessary for recovery of mitochondrial respiration.

Stem cell derived exosomes are promising adjunctive therapeutics as they are readily accessible, can be commercially produced, and lack ethical conflicts. In consideration of clinical translation, a collagen patch embedded with MSC-derived exosomes was created that can be surgically sutured to the hibernating region of myocardium. It was demonstrated that there is sustained delivery of exosomes using this patch and it provides a cell-free regenerative therapy with paracrine signaling mechanism that targets mitochondrial recovery and enhance mitochondrial biogenesis¹⁵. This procedure provides the pre-clinical model to study the impact of MSC-derived therapies to improve cardiac function by means of enhancing mitochondrial function and reducing inflammation at the time of revascularization and reverse the myocyte adaptations to chronic ischemia.

In this study, a surgical method of off-pump CABG using LIMA to LAD anastomosis to bypass the area of proximal LAD stenosis mimicking the standard treatment for patients with CAD is shown. As an adjunctive therapy with CABG, the surgical application of MSC-derived exosome embedded collagen patch on the ischemic region of the myocardium was demonstrated. This surgical model can be used to study the physiologic responses to the paracrine effect seen with use of an exosome patch as well as the molecular mechanisms of recovery.

Protocol

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and the University of Minnesota have approved all of the animal studies. The current National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines for the use and care of laboratory animals were followed. 1. Isolation of mesenchymal stem cells and preparation and characterization of exosomes Isolation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) Obtain 30-50 mL of ste…

Representative Results

Following revascularization, coronary angiography is performed to assess for LAD stenosis (greater than 80%) and patency of the LIMA-LAD graft (Figure 1). Four weeks following the revascularization surgery and placement of the exosome-laden collagen patch, cardiac MRI is performed to assess for systolic and diastolic function of the heart at rest and under stress using low-dose dobutamine infusion at 5µg/kg/min. Systolic function is analyzed by measuring wall thickness percentage (wall …

Discussion

This study presents the first porcine model of chronically ischemic myocardium, in which it was shown that treatment with an MSC-derived exosome laden collagen patch during surgical revascularization recovers diastolic and systolic function upon inotropic stimulation potentially by targeting mitochondrial recovery. Previously, it was demonstrated that in a large animal model of HIB the diastolic and systolic function, as measured by cardiac MRI, remains impaired and only slightly improves with revascularization without c…

Materials

5 Ethibond	Ethicon	MG46G	Suture
# 40 clipper blade	Oster	078919-016-701	Remove hair from surgery sites
0 Vicryl	Ethicon	J208H	Suture
1 mL Syringe	Medtronic/Covidien	1188100777	Administer injectable agents
1" medical tape	Medline	MMM15271Z	Secure wound dressing and IV catheters
1000mL 0.9% Sodium chloride	Baxter	2B1324X	IV replacement fluid
12 mL Syringe	Medtronic/Covidien	8881512878	Administer injectable agents
18 ga needles	BD	305185	Administration of injectable agents
20 ga needles	BD	305175	Administration of injectable agents
20 mL Syringe	Medtronic/Covidien	8881520657	Administer injectable agents
2-0 Vicryl	Ethicon	J317H	Suture
250 mL 0.9% saline	Baxter	UE1322D	Replacement IV Fluid
3 mL Syinge	Medtronic/Covidien	1180300555	Administer injectable agents
3-0 Vicryl	Ethicon	VCP824G	Suture
36” Pressure monitoring tubing	Smith’s Medical	MX563	Connect art. Line  to transducer
4.0 mm ID endotracheal tube	Medline	DYND43040	Establish airway for Hibernation
4-0 Tevdek II Strands	Deknatel	7-922	Suture to secure constrictor around LAD
48” Pressure monitoring tubing	Smith’s Medical	MX564	Connect art. Line  to transducer
500mL 0.9% Sodium chloride	Baxter	2B1323Q	Drug delivery, Provide mist for Blower Mister
6  mL Syringe	Medtronic/Covidien	1180600777	Administer injectable agents
6.0 mm ID endotracheal tube	Mallinckrodt	86049	Establish airway for Revasc,MRI and Termination
6.5 mm ID endotracheal tube	Medline	DYND43065	Establish airway for Revasc,MRI and Termination
6” pressure tubing line	Smith’s Medical	MX560	Collect bone marrow
60 mL Syringe	Medtronic/Covidien	8881560125	Administer injectable agents
7.0 mm ID endotracheal tube	Medline	DYND43070	Establish airway for Revasc,MRI and Termination
7-0 Prolene	Ethicon	M8702	Suture
Advanced DMEM (1X)	ThermoFisher Scientific	12491023
Alcohol Prep pads	MedSource	MS-17402	Skin disinfectant
Amicon Ultra-15 Centrifugal Filter Unit	Millipore Sigma	UFC910024
Anesthesia Machine	Drager	Fabious Trio	maintains general anesthesia
Anesthesia Machine + ventilator	DRE Drager- Fabius Tiro	DRE0603FT	Deliver Oxygen and inhalant to patient
Anesthesia Monitor	Phillips  Intellivue	MP70	Multiparameter for patient safety
Arterial Line Kit	Arrow	ASK-04510-HF	Femoral catheter for blood pressure monitoring
Artificial Tears	Rugby	0536-1086-91	Lubricate eyes to prevent corneal drying
Bair Hugger	3M	Model 505	Patient Warming system
Basic pack	Medline	DYNJP1000	Sterile drapes and table cover
Blood Collection Tubes- green top	Fisher Scientific	02-689-7	Collect microsphere blood samples
Blower Mister Kit	Medtronic/Covidien	22120	Clears surgical field for vessel anastomosis
BODIPY TR Ceramide	ThermoFisher Scientific	D7540
Bone marrow needle- 25mm 15 ga IO needle	Vidacare	9001-VC-005	Collect bone marrow
Bone Wax	Medline	ETHW31G	Hemostasis of cut bone
Bovie Cautery hand piece	Covidien	E2516	Hemostasis
Bupivicaine	Pfizer	00409-1161-01	Local Anesthetic
Buprenorphine 0.3 mg/mL	Sigma Aldrich	B9275	Pre operative Analgesic for survivial procedures
Cell Scrapers	Corning	353085
Cephazolin 1 gr	Pfizer	00409-0805-01	Antibiotic
Chest Tube	Covidien	8888561043	Evacuates air from chest cavity
Cloroprep	Becton Dickenson	260815	Surgical skin prep
Corning bottle-top vacuum Filter System (500mL)	Millipore Sigma	430758
CPT tube	BD	362753	MSC isolation from bone marrow
Delrin Constrictor	U of MN	Custom made	Creates stenosis of LAD
Dermabond	Ethicon	DNX12	Skin adhesive
DMEM (1X) Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium, HEPES	ThermoFisher Scientific	12430062
Dobutamine 12.5 mg/mL	Pfizer	00409-2344-01	Increases blood pressure and heart rate during the second microsphere blood collection
ECG Pads	DRE	1496	Monitor heart rhythm
Exosome-Depleted FBS	ThermoFisher Scientific	A2720801
Falcon Disposable Polystyrene Serological Pipets, Sterile, 10mL	Fisher Scientific	13-675-20
Femoral and carotid introducer	Cordis- J&J	504606P	femoral and carotis cannulas
Fetal Bovine Serum, Heat Inactivated, Gibco FBS	ThermoFisher Scientific	16140089
Flo-thru 1.0	Baxter	FT-12100	used to anastomos LIMA to L
Flo-thru 1.25	Baxter	FT-12125	FT-12125
Flo-thru 1.5	Baxter	FT-12150	FT-12150
Flo-thru 2.0	Baxter	FT-12200	FT-12200
GlutaMAX Supplement	ThermoFisher Scientific	35050061
Hair Clipper	Oster	078566-011-002	Remove hair from surgery sites
Helistat collagen sponge	McKesson	570973 1690ZZ	Sponge for embedding exosomes
Heparin	Pfizer	0409-2720-03	anticoaggulant
Histology Jars	Fisher Scientific	316-154	Formalin for tissue samples
HyClone Characterized Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)	Cytiva	SH30071.03
Hypafix	BSN Medical	4210	Secure wound dressing and IV catheters
Isoflurane	Sigma Aldrich	CDS019936	General Anesthestic- Inhalant
IV Tubing for Blower Mister	Carefusion	42493E	Adapts to IV Fluids for Blower/Mister
Jelco 18 ga IV catheter	Smiths medical	4054	IV access in Revasc, MRI and Term
Lidocaine 2%	Pfizer	00409-4277-01	Local Anesthetic/ antiarrthymic
Ligaclips	Ethicon	MSC20	Surgical Staples for LIMA takedown
Long blade for laryngoscope	DRE	12521	Allows for visualization of trachea for intubation
Meloxicam 5 mg/mL	Boehringer Ingelheim	141-219	Post operative Analgesic
Microsphere pump			Collect blood samples from femoral introducer
Monopolar Cautery	Covidien	Valleylab™ FT10	Hemostasis
Nanosight NS 300	Malvern Panalytical	MAN0541-03-EN
NTA 3.1.54 software	Malvern Panalytical	MAN0520-01-EN-00
OPVAC Synergy II	Terumo Cardiovascular System	401-230	Heart positioner and Stabilizer
Oxygen Tank E cylinder	various	various	Used for Blower Mister if anesthesia machine doesn't have auxiliary flow meter
PBS, pH 7.2	ThermoFisher Scientific	20012050
Penicillin-Streptomycin-Neomycin (PSN) Antibiotic Mixture	ThermoFisher Scientific	15640055
Pigtail 145 catheter 6 French	Boston Scientific	08641-41	Measure LV pressures
Pressure Transducer	various	Must adapt to anesthesia monitor	Monitor direct arterial pressures
Propofol	Diprivan	269-29	Induction agent
Roncuronium	Mylan	67457-228-05	Neuromuscular blocking agent
SR Buprenorphine 10 mg/mL	Abbott Labs	NADA 141-434	Post operative Analgesic
Sterile Saline 20 mL	Fisher Scientific	20T700220	Flush for IV catheters
Sternal Saw/ Necropsy Saw	Thermo Fisher	812822	Used to open chest cavity
Stop Cocks	Smith Medical	MX5311L	2 to connect to pig tail
Succinylcholine 20 mg/mL	Pfizer	00409-6629-02	Neuromuscular blocking agent
Suction  tubing	Medline	DYND50223
Suction Container	Medline	DYNDCL03000
Surgery pack with chest retractor	various	See pack list	Femoral cut down and median sternotomy
Surgical Instruments	various	See pack list	Femoral and carotid cutdowns and sternotomy
Surgical Spring Clip	Applied Medical	A1801	Clamp end of LIMA after takedown
Syringe pump	Harvard		Delivers IV Dobutamine infusion
SYTO RNASelect Green Fluorescent cell Stain – 5 mM Solution in DMSO	Millipore Sigma	S32703
Telazol 100 mg/mL	Fort Dodge	01L60030	Pre operative Sedative
Telpha pad	Covidien	2132	Sterile wound dressing
Timer			Time collection of blood samples
Total Exosome Isolation Reagent (from cell culture media)	ThermoFisher Scientific	4478359
TPP Tissue Culture Flask, T75, Filter Cap w/ 0.22uM PTFE	ThermoFisher Scientific	TP90076
Triple Antibiotic Ointment	Johnson & Johnson	23734	Topical over wound
Vicryl mesh	Ethicon	VKML	Patch for epicardial cell application
Vortex			Mix microspheres
Xylazine 100 mg/mL	Vedco	468RX	Pre operative Sedative/ analgesic