日本小児循環器学会雑誌 Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

Pediatric cardiomyopathies are rare diseases associated with poor outcomes. In such cases, left ventricular assist device implants and heart transplantation are therapeutic options, but they have limited applicability owing to several complications and donor shortage, respectively. Cardiac regeneration therapies are increasingly expected to solve this unmet medical need, and recent translational researches have already been implemented to improve cardiac function and to attenuate left ventricular remodeling in adult patients with myocardial damage. Various cells, including bone marrow, myoblast, and iPS cells, have been used in preclinical studies. This review presents recent advances in myocardial regeneration therapies and discusses cell transplantation therapy, myoblast cell-sheet therapy, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte sheet therapy, and direct myocardial reprogramming therapy. Additionally, the importance of understanding fundamental developmental biology of cardiomyocytes becomes apparent.