The Potential Properties of Natural Compounds in Cardiac Stem Cell Activation: Their Role in Myocardial Regeneration

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which include congenital heart disease, rhythm disorders, subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and many other cardiac disorders, cause about 30% of deaths globally; representing one of the main health problems worldwide. Among CVDs, ischemic heart diseases (IHDs) are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. The onset of IHDs is essentially due to an unbalance between the metabolic demands of the myocardium and its supply of oxygen and nutrients, coupled with a low regenerative capacity of the heart, which leads to great cardiomyocyte (CM) loss; promoting heart failure (HF) and myocardial infarction (MI). To date, the first strategy recommended to avoid IHDs is prevention in order to reduce the underlying risk factors. In the management of IHDs, traditional therapeutic options are widely used to improve symptoms, attenuate adverse cardiac remodeling, and reduce early mortality rate. However, there are no available treatments that aim to improve cardiac performance by replacing the irreversible damaged cardiomyocytes (CMs). Currently, heart transplantation is the only treatment being carried out for irreversibly damaged CMs. Hence, the discovery of new therapeutic options seems to be necessary. Interestingly, recent experimental evidence suggests that regenerative stem cell medicine could be a useful therapeutic approach to counteract cardiac damage and promote tissue regeneration. To this end, researchers are tasked with answering one main question: how can myocardial regeneration be stimulated? In this regard, natural compounds from plant extracts seem to play a particularly promising role. The present review will summarize the recent advances in our knowledge of stem cell therapy in the management of CVDs; focusing on the main properties and potential mechanisms of natural compounds in stimulating and activating stem cells for myocardial regeneration.

Effects of Bergamot Polyphenols on Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

“…Under these conditions, protective mechanisms that include the overexpression of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, UPR, and autophagic responses are activated with the aim of antagonizing the apoptotic cell death of myocardial cells [ 153 ]. Since BPF counteracts oxidative stress in in vitro and in vivo cardiotoxicity models [ 49 , 50 , 53 ], in addition to reverting mitochondrial dysfunction [ 94 , 148 , 153 ], it is likely to assume its protective role even in the early stages of diabetic cardiomyopathy, in cardiac dysfunction, and in countering the development of heart failure.…”

“…To date, the protective effects of the main polyphenols contained in high concentration in bergamot are well-known. In particular, important beneficial effects on the nervous system [ 41 , 42 , 43 ], the mineralization of bones [ 44 ], the regulation of keratinocytes [ 45 ], the regulation of the metabolism [ 46 , 47 ], against adipose-tissue inflammation [ 48 ] and during myocardial regeneration [ 49 ] were reported. These protective effects of bergamot have been found in many of its formulations: extract (BE), juice (BJ), essential oil (BEO), and polyphenolic fraction (BPF).…”

Stem Cells and Congenital Heart Disease: The Future Potential Clinical Therapy Beyond Current Treatment

“…These cell lines can differentiate into all somatic cells and can express cardiac-specific markers, such as GATA-4, GATA-2, and Nkx2.5, giving these cardiac cells mature electrophysiological function. Injection of iPSCs into patients, who have previously sustained a myocardial infarction, provides evidence of increased left ventricular function and cardiac contractility, with a decrease in cardiac remodeling [ 20 ]. Several cardiovascular diseases have been modeled with human iPSCs to date, including dilated cardiomyopathy, Brugada Syndrome, calcific aortic valve, and long-QT syndromes [ 21 ].…”

Pterostilbene fluorescent probes as potential tools for targeting neurodegeneration in biological applications

“…Recently, several studies have confirmed that plant derivate natural substances, whether of terrestrial or marine origin can reduce the incidence of different pathologies including neurodegenerative 10–14 , cancer and heart diseases 15 , 16 , chronic inflammation and arthritis 17 , 18 . Among several promising compounds, resveratrol (Res) is one of the most studied and best known for its potential as a therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases 19–21 .…”