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PLOS One logoLink to PLOS One
. 2022 Mar 24;17(3):e0265347. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265347

Human Muse cells reduce myocardial infarct size and improve cardiac function without causing arrythmias in a swine model of acute myocardial infarction

Yoshihisa Yamada 1, Shingo Minatoguchi 1, Shinya Baba 2, Sanae Shibata 3, Satoshi Takashima 3, Shohei Wakao 4, Hiroyuki Okura 1, Mari Dezawa 4, Shinya Minatoguchi 2,5,*
Editor: Meijing Wang6
PMCID: PMC8947423  PMID: 35324926

Abstract

Background

We recently reported that multilineage-differentiating stress enduring (Muse) cells intravenously administered after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), selectively engrafted to the infarct area, spontaneously differentiated into cardiomyocytes and vessels, reduced the infarct size, improved the left ventricular (LV) function and remodeling in rabbits. We aimed to clarify the efficiency of Muse cells in a larger animal AMI model of mini-pigs using a semi-clinical grade human Muse cell product.

Method and result

Mini-pigs underwent 30 min of coronary artery occlusion followed by 2 weeks of reperfusion. Semi-clinical grade human Muse cell product (1x107, Muse group, n = 5) or saline (Vehicle group, n = 7) were intravenously administered at 24 h after reperfusion. The infarct size, LV function and remodeling were evaluated by echocardiography. Arrhythmias were evaluated by an implantable loop recorder. The infarct size was significantly smaller in the Muse group (10.5±3.3%) than in the Vehicle group (21.0±2.0%). Both the LV ejection fraction and fractional shortening were significantly greater in the Muse group than in the Vehicle group. The LV end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions were significantly smaller in the Muse group than in the Vehicle group. Human Muse cells homed into the infarct border area and expressed cardiac troponin I and vascular endothelial CD31. No arrhythmias and no blood test abnormality were observed.

Conclusion

Muse cell product might be promising for AMI therapy based on the efficiency and safety in a mini-pig AMI.

Introduction

Stem cell therapies are hopeful treatments for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It has been reported that intravenous injection of bone marrow (BM)-derived mononuclear cells (MNCs) led to a reduction in infarct size and recovery of cardiac function in AMI models of rabbit and pigs [1, 2] and also that intravenous injection of BM-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) led to a reduction in infarct size and recovery of cardiac function in AMI models of rats and pigs [3, 4]. However, clinical trials using BM-derived MNCs and MSCs after AMI demonstrated minimal improvement of cardiac functions, if any [5, 6]. Therefore, more powerful stem cell alternatives are required.

Multilineage-differentiating stress enduring (Muse) cells, able to differentiate into endodermal, ectodermal, and mesodermal cells without tumorigenicity, were identified in the BM, peripheral blood and organ connective tissues, as cells positive for pluripotent surface marker, stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-3 [712].

We recently reported in a rabbit AMI model that intravenously administered autograft and allograft Muse cells, which express HLA-G to exhibit immunotolerance, specifically engrafted to the infarct area via S1P-S1PR2 axis, reduced the infarct size, improved the cardiac function and remodeling through spontaneous differentiation into cardiomyocytes as well as paracrine effects [13]. However, the efficiency and safety of semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation in a larger animal AMI model has not yet been investigated. Therefore, we examined the effects of human Muse cell product on the infarct size, cardiac function and remodeling, arrhythmias, and blood test in a mini-pig model of AMI.

Methods

Preparation of human Muse cells

Semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation was provided by Clio, Inc. (merged into Life Science Institute, Inc.Tokyo). Human Muse cell–based product was produced from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after exposing the cells to the combination stresses. We prepared human green fluorescence protein (GFP)-Muse cells [3, 5] from GFP-introduced BM-MSCs as SSEA-3 (+) cells, as previously described [13].

Animal model and protocol

Animals received humane care in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NIH publication 85–23, revised 1996). The protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee of Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine (permission number: 28–7). The experiment was performed according to the ARRIVE Guidelines (https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/arrive-guidelines).

The mini-pigs (Nippon Institute for Biological Science: 6.4∼12.4 kg, average: 9.4 kg) were anesthetized by propofol (2 mg/kg IV) and maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen under mechanical ventilation (KV-1a, Kimura Ikakiki Co., Tokyo, Japan). Analgesia was maintained by fentanyl (20 μg/kg/hr, IV). Surgical procedures were performed aseptically. The arterial pressure during the course of the experiment was measured using an arterial pressure monitor from the peripheral artery. Thereafter, the animals were systemically heparinized (500 U/kg). After a left thoracotomy was performed in the fourth intercostal space, the heart was exposed and 4–0 silk thread was placed beneath the left anterior descending coronary arterial branch coursing down the middle of the anterolateral surface of the left ventricle. Both ends of the silk suture were then passed through a small vinyl tube, and the coronary branch was occluded by pulling the snare, which was fixed by clamping the tube with a mosquito hemostat. The coronary artery was occluded for 30 min and reperfused to create an AMI model. Myocardial ischemia was induced for 30 min. Myocardial ischemia was confirmed by ST-segment elevation on the electrocardiogram and regional cyanosis of the myocardial surface. Reperfusion was confirmed by myocardial blush over the risk area after releasing the snare, as described previously [13].

For the assessment of effects on the infarct size reduction and function recovery, animals received intravenous injection of 1x107 semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation (2 mL) (Muse group, n = 5) or 2 mL of saline (Vehicle group, n = 7) at 24 hours after reperfusion of occluded coronary artery for 30 min without immunosuppressants and observed for 2 weeks. For the assessment of Muse cell differentiation into cardiomyocytes and vessels in histologic analysis, additional AMI animals (n = 3) received intravenous injection of 1x106 of GFP-labeled-human Muse cells [13]. The investigators evaluating the outcomes were blinded to the protocol.

Allocation of the animals

Totally 20 minipigs were initially allocated to Vehicle group (n = 10) or Muse cells group (n = 10) alternately before we made AMI models. However, 6 animals died because of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular rapture during the coronary occlusion and immediately after reperfusion before the administration of vehicle or Muse cell product (2 allocated to Vehicle group and 4 allocated to Muse group). Therefore, finally, 6 Muse and 8 Vehicle were intravenously administered at 24 h after AMI. Out of them, 1 Muse minipig died 1 day after and 1 Vehicle died 3 days after. Finally, 5 Muse-minipigs and 7 Vehicles were survived for 14 days.

Echocardiography

Echocardiography (SSD2000, Aloka Co., Ltd.) was performed at 2 weeks after AMI. The left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), LV end-systolic dimension (LVESd), and LV end-diastolic dimension (LVEDd) were obtained. EF was measured by Teichholz method using M-mode echocardiography.

Myocardial infarct size

Animals were sacrificed with an overdose of pentobarbital and KCL at 2 weeks after AMI. The heart was dissected out and LV was sectioned into seven transverse slices parallel to the atrioventricular ring. Each slice was fixed with 10% buffered formalin for 4 h, embedded in paraffin, and cut into 4-μm-thick sections. Transverse LV slices at the papillary muscle level were stained with Masson-Trichrome. The LV areas and infarct areas (mm2/slice) were calculated using an image analyzer (Win ROOF, version 7.4, Mitani Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) connected to a light microscope (BZ-8000, KEYENCE, Osaka). The infarct size is expressed as a percentage of the LV. Since it is generally accepted that the Evans blue dye/TTC method is not reliable for evaluating infarct size after 72 hours reperfusion because of remodeling due to scar shrinkage within the infarct [14], we used Masson-Trichrome staining to assess the infarct size as percentage of LV.

Laser confocal microscopic observations for cardiac markers

Mini-pigs receiving GFP-labeled human Muse cells were sacrificed with an overdose of pentobarbital and KCL at 2 weeks. The cardiac tissue was fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS. Cryosections (8 μm thick) were cut and stained as previously described [13]. Primary antibodies used were: anti-cardiac troponin I (1:20; Abcam), anti-CD31 (1:20; Abcam), and anti-GFP (1:1000, Abcam). The secondary antibodies used were either anti-Chicken IgY H&L (Alexa Flour 488, Abcam), anti-Rabbit IgG H&L (Alexa Flour 680, Abcam), or anti-mouse IgG H&L (Alexa Flour 647, Abcam). Images were captured using a confocal microscope (C2si; Nikon Tokyo, Japan).

Immunohistochemistry for CD31

Paraffin sections were stained with anti-CD31 (1:100; Dako) followed by HRP-conjugated anti-rabbit IgG and detected by the HRP-3,3’-diaminobenzidine system (Wako). Images were captured using a light microscope (BX 50 F4, OLYMPUS, Tokyo).

Blood test

Peripheral blood count and blood biochemical test were performed before and 2 weeks after AMI.

Assessment of arrythmias

In some of the Muse group (n = 3) and Vehicle group (n = 1), an implantable loop recorder (Reveal XT, Medtronic PLC, Minneapolis, USA) was placed in the 4th intercostal subcutaneous tissue where R waves could be recorded by electrocardiogram when the chest was closed, and arrhythmias were evaluated for 2 weeks after AMI. In this instrument, heart rate more than 161/min was set to be recorded as tachycardia.

Statistical analysis

Values are expressed as the mean ± standard error. Differences between 2 groups were assessed by paired or unpaired Student’s-t test (Stat View, J5.0 software, HULINKS Inc.). Values of p< 0.05 were considered significant, and values of p<0.01 and p<0.001 were considered highly significant.

Results

Physiological findings

Fig 1A shows blood pressure and heart rate. There was no significant difference in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure or heart rate between the two groups. Fig 1B shows a typical case of cardiac echocardiography in Vehicle and Muse groups. The ejection fraction (EF) was significantly greater in the Muse group (76.1± 0.6%) than in the Vehicle group (58.3± 2.7%) at 2 weeks in Fig 1C. Fractional shortening (FS) was significantly greater in the Muse group (42.0± 0.6%) than in the Vehicle group (29.3±1.9%) at 2 weeks in Fig 1C. The LV end-systolic dimension (LVESd) was significantly reduced in the Muse group as compared with the Vehicle group (Muse vs. Vehicle: 11.0±1.0 vs. 16.6± 0.6 mm, p = 0.0006) in Fig 1C. The LV end-diastolic dimension (LVEDd) was also reduced in the Muse group compared with the Vehicle group (Muse vs. Vehicle: 19.1±1.8 vs. 23.6±1.0 mm, p = 0.04) in Fig 1C.

Fig 1. Cardiac function and myocardial infarct size.

Fig 1

A: Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) in the Vehicle (n = 7) and Muse (n = 5) groups. B: Representative echocardiography in Vehicle and Muse groups. C: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), LV fractional shortening (LVFS), LV end-diastolic dimension (LVEDd), and LV end-systolic dimension (LVESd) in the Vehicle (n = 7) and Muse (n = 5) groups. D: Representative pictures of the Masson-Trichrome staining of cross-sections of LV in the Vehicle and Muse groups. Blue color-coded areas indicate the infarct regions and red-coded areas indicate the non-infarct regions of LV. E: Fibrosis area (mm2/slice/kg) in the Vehicle (n = 7) and Muse (n = 5) groups. F: Infarct size as a percentage of LV area (%) in the Vehicle (n = 7) and Muse (n = 5) groups.

Infarct size

Fig 1D shows representative pictures of Masson-Trichrome staining of cross-sections at the papillary muscle level of the LV. The infarct area corrected by slice/body weight kg (mm2/slice/kg) was significantly smaller (p = 0.03) in the Muse group (1.1± 0.2 mm2/slice/kg) than in the Vehicle group (1.9± 0.1 mm2/slice/kg) in Fig 1E. The infarct size as a percentage of the LV was significantly smaller (p = 0.01) in the Muse group (10.5± 3.3%) than in the Vehicle group (21.0±2.0%) in Fig 1F.

Immunohistochemistry

Using fluorescent staining method, GFP-labeled Muse cells expressed cardiac troponin I, a cardiomyocyte marker, in the infarct border area in the Muse group in Fig 2A. Fig 2B is a negative control in the vehicle group. The GFP-labeled Muse cells were mainly detected in the infarct border area of the myocardium in Fig 2C. GFP-labeled Muse cells expressed cardiac CD31, a vascular endothelial cell marker, in the infarct border area in the Muse group in Fig 3A. Fig 3B is a negative control in the vehicle group. The number of CD31-positive vessels by immunohistological staining was significantly greater (p = 0.002) in the Muse group than in the vehicle group in Fig 3C and 3D.

Fig 2. Differentiation of Muse cells into cardiomyocytes.

Fig 2

A: GFP-labelled Muse cells and cardiac troponin I in the infarct border area. GFP (green) and troponin I (Red) are merged, suggesting that GFP-labelled Muse cells differentiated into cardiomyocytes. Bar = 50 μm. B: Negative control in the infarct border area. Troponin I positive cells (red), DAPI (blue), Bar = 50 μm. C: GFP (green)-labelled Muse cells are engrafted in the infarct border area. Bar = 100 μm.

Fig 3. Differentiation of Muse cells into vessels.

Fig 3

A: GFP-labelled Muse cells and CD31-positive microvessels in the infarct border area. GFP (green) and CD31 (Red) are merged, suggesting that GFP-labelled Muse cells differentiated into vascular endothelium. Bar = 50 μm. B: Negative control in the infarct border area. CD31 (red), DAPI (blue), Bar = 25 μm. C: Typical pictures of CD31-positive microvessels by immunohistological staining in the Vehicle and Muse groups. Bars = 50 μm. D: The number of CD31-positive microvessels by immunohistological staining is significantly greater in the Muse (n = 5) group than in the Vehicle (n = 7) group.

Blood test

No abnormality in the blood cell count or biochemical test was found in either group in Table 1.

Table 1. Blood cell count and biochemical data.

Vehicle (n = 7) Muse (n = 5)
before after before after
WBC (103/μL) 9257 ± 964 10071 ± 698 9020 ± 1240 8840 ± 1144
RBC (104/μL) 686 ± 27 684 ± 31 697 ± 54 695 ± 60
Hb (g/dL) 10.5 ± 0.4 11.0 ± 0.7 11.8 ± 0.9 12 ± 1.1
AST (U/L) 35 ± 2.8 40 ± 2.7 43 ± 7.6 46 ± 4.5
ALT (U/L) 33 ± 1.6 38 ± 2.5 41 ± 2.4 40 ± 3.0
BUN (mg/dL) 3.9 ± 1.0 5.2 ± 1.2 4.1 ± 1.3 2.8 ± 0.5
Cre (mg/dL) 0.5 ± 0.1 0.6 ± 0.1 0.4 ± 0.1 0.4 ± 0.1
Na (mEq/L) 140 ± 1.3 145 ± 1.7 142 ± 0.4 143 ± 0.5
K (mEq/L) 4.8 ± 0.2 5.3 ± 0.2 4.8 ± 0.2 4.9 ± 0.1
Cl (mEq/L) 102 ± 2.0 105 ± 1.8 103 ± 0.9 103 ± 0.4

Effect of Muse cells on arrhythmias

Fig 4 shows that analysis of the implantable loop recorder demonstrated that no arrhythmias such as tachycardia, bradycardia, pause, ventricular and supraventricular extra-systoles, ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation were observed during the 2 weeks in the Muse group (n = 3) or in the Vehicle group (n = 1).

Fig 4. Analysis of arrythmias using an implantable loop recorder.

Fig 4

A: Implantable loop recorder. B, C: Episode summary for 2 weeks in a case of Muse groups, showing no arrythmias such as bradycardia, pause except for tachycardia. we see the recorded electrocardiogram as shown in C, this was judged as a 300/min of tachycardia in the loop recorder. However, careful analysis of electrocardiogram revealed that the recorder judged T wave and R wave as a one beat and then the heart rate was regarded as a 300/min of tachycardia, but it was actually a 150/min of heart rate. Therefore, this was not a real tachycardia of 300/min.

Discussion

We recently reported that intravenously administered Muse cells significantly reduce the myocardial infarct size, improve the LV function, and attenuate LV remodeling in a rabbit model of AMI [13]. The administered Muse cells engrafted to the infarct and infarct border areas of the heart at a high rate of ∼14% of the injected Muse cells, which was mediated through the S1P-S1PR2 axis; an interaction between sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) produced in the damaged heart and S1P receptor 2 (S1PR2) located on Muse cells [13]. The engrafted autograft GFP-labeled Muse cells expressed the cardiac markers ANP, troponin I, and α-actinin at 2 weeks and 2 months after AMI, and expressed the vascular endothelial marker CD31 and vascular smooth muscle marker α-smooth muscle actin at 2 weeks, suggesting that Muse cells differentiated into cardiomyocytes and vessels. Cardiomyocytes differentiated from G-CAMP3-labelled Muse cells expressed the gap junction marker connexin 43 and exhibited G-CaMP3 activity synchronous with the heartbeat of systole and diastole, suggesting that Muse cells differentiated into working cardiomyocytes with physiologic activity and normal electromechanical integration between the graft and host [13].

On the basis of the experiment on the effects of Muse cells in a rabbit model of AMI [13], in the present study, we performed an experiment on the effects of human Muse cells in a larger animal mini-pig model of AMI as the next step for clinical trials. In this study, in consistent with our previous report in a rabbit model of AMI [13], semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation markedly reduced the infarct size, improved the LV function, and attenuated LV remodeling in a mini-pig model of AMI in Fig 1. Muse cells engrafted to the heart and expressed cardiac troponin-I, suggesting that they differentiated into cardiomyocyte lineages. The number of CD31-positive microvessels in the infarct border area was significantly greater in the Muse group than in the Vehicle group. Muse cells labelled with GFP differentiated into CD31-positive microvessels, suggesting that they differentiated into vascular endothelial cells. Therefore, Muse cells contributed to neovascularization, which is essential for tissue repair and maintenance of reconstructed tissue.

The arrhythmogenicity is caused by re-entrant pathways due to heterogeneity in conduction velocities between the graft and host [15]. As a matter of fact, it has been reported that myoblast from a skeletal muscle injected into myocardium in patients with depressed LV function caused arrythmias such as ventricular tachycardia [16]. However, in the present study, the implantable loop recorder detected no arrhythmias during 2 weeks after the administration of semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation, suggesting that Muse cell treatment does not cause any arrythmias. This may be related to the previous report that engrafted Muse cells to the infarcted heart differentiated into working cardiomyocytes with physiologic activity and normal electromechanical integration between the graft and host [13].

In addition, the peripheral blood cell count or blood biochemical test did not show any abnormality.

These results suggest that human Muse cell product reduce infarct size and improve cardiac function without causing arrhythmia and abnormality in peripheral blood cell count or blood biochemical data in a swine model of acute myocardial infarction.

Study limitation and clinical perspective

In the present study, we did not calculate the total number of engrafted GFP-labelled Muse cells in the heart and the differentiation rate of Muse cells into cardiac troponin I-positive cells because the heart of the swine is too big to calculate the whole number of engraftment and differentiation. However, we have previously estimated the total number of integrated GFP-labelled Muse cells in the AMI heart of the rabbit whole heart, and the number of engrafted Muse cells was 43,555±11992 cells corresponding to 14.5±4.0% of the total number of injected 300,000 of Muse cells [13], and the differentiation rate of Muse cells into cardiac markers cardiac troponin I was 14.4±3.3% at 2 weeks after AMI in rabbits [13].

Because the evaluation of arrythmias by loop-recorder was performed in the small number of Muse group (n = 3) and Vehicle group (n = 1), larger number of arrythmia evaluation is warranted.

However, on the basis of the results of animal studies using rabbits [13] and mini-pigs in the present study, we have already performed a first-in-human clinical trial using an allogenic human Muse cell-based product, CL2020, for the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction after completion of the necessary process under approval of regulatory authorities. As a result, CL2020 was safe and significantly improved cardiac function at 12 weeks after the onset of AMI [17]. We confirmed in this first-in-human clinical trial that administration of Muse cell product did not affect biological test such as LDH, ALT, AST, ALP, r-GTP, total bilirubin, BUN and creatinine, and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and INF-γ during 12 weeks [17]. On the basis of this result, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial to examine the effects of an allogenic human Muse cell-based product, CL2020 on LV function and LV remodeling and safety in patients with AMI is currently in progress. We previously reported that when the effect on the infarct size and cardiac function were compared between Muse cells and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), both the reduction in the infarct size and improvement of cardiac function were significantly greater in the Muse group than in the MSC group [13]. This may support that Muse cells therapy for AMI has potential ability to show the clinical benefit in the clinical trial, although many clinical trials using somatic stem cells including bone marrow mononuclear cells and MSCs failed to show the clinical benefit in the clinical trials [5, 6].

Muse cells can be isolated as SSEA-3(+) cells from various sources since they normally reside in the bone marrow (∼0.03% of mononucleated cell population), peripheral blood and organ connective tissue [7, 18]. However, practical sources will be the bone marrow, adipose tissue, dermal fibroblasts and umbilical cord. Muse cells are also collectable from commercially released MSCs and fibroblasts, and are contained as several percent of these cultured cells [7, 18]. Therefore, Muse cells are accessible.

The doubling time of Muse cells is ∼1.3 days/cell division [7, 18]. This is nearly the same or slightly longer than that of human fibroblasts. Since they are not tumorigenic, unlike ES and iPS cells, they do not show exponential proliferative activity. Nevertheless, they are expandable to a clinical scale. Indeed, Life Science Institute Inc., a group company of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, succeeded in producing clinical grade Muse cell formula, CL2020. CL2020 is already applied to clinical trials [17].

In conclusion, human Muse cell product may be promising for AMI treatment based on efficiency and safety in a mini-pig model of AMI.

Supporting information

S1 File

(DOCX)

S1 Data

(XLSX)

Acknowledgments

We thank Mrs Noriko Endo for her technical assistance.

Data Availability

All relevant data are within the paper and the Supporting information files.

Funding Statement

This study was supported by a grant-in-aid from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP20K08400, Japan. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. This was newly included in the main text.

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Decision Letter 0

Meijing Wang

22 Dec 2021

PONE-D-21-37007Human Muse cells reduce myocardial infarct size and improve cardiac function without causing arrythmias in a swine model of acute myocardial infarctionPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Minatoguchi,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

  • Please discuss why muse cells are superior to MSCs.

  • With respect to clinical use, are the muse cells easy to isolate and expand to a large amount in vitro?

  • Please adequately address reviewers' comments.

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: No

**********

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Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: The paper submitted by Yamada Y et al. includes studies that Muse cell product treatment significantly attenuated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) injury in mini-pigs in an effective and safe way. In fact, how to achieve the safety and effectiveness is still a key issue in stem cell therapy, while, this study has made beneficial attempts. This paper is well written, and the results are interesting and beneficial to further advance stem cell preclinical experiments in vivo. The authors should concern the following defects:

1 In Fig. 1D, the percentage of the infarction area should be detected by short-axis TTC staining, and the percentage of the fibrotic area should be detected by Masson-Trichrome staining

2 Evidence should be shown for no any tumor formation in any organs in the Muse cell treatment group, for example, organs, including heart, kidney; lung; liver and pancreas, are fixed and cut into sections to stain with H-E to detect the tumor formation upon histological examination in any animals not only in the gross appearance of the organ but also under the microscope.

3 In Table1, the plasma activity of creatine kinase (CK)-MB and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as the plasma content of TNF-α should be included.

Reviewer #2: In this manuscript, the authors tested human Muse (multilineage-differentiating stress enduring) cells in a mini-pig model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), to determine their therapeutic potential in AMI. The experimental design was straightforward. The data shown are solid and well-organized. However, a few things (listed below) the authors could have addressed better.

1. More details should be provided regarding how human Muse cells are generated. Do these Muse cells express HLA-G for better immune tolerance? What made them different from MSCs?

2. In “animal model and protocol” method section, it is not clear why some animals received 10^7 human Muse cells, while “additional AMI animals (n=3) received …10^6 cells”, for what purpose?

3. In this study, the authors used mini-pig AMI model. What’s the difference between mini-pig and adult pig model? Is this mini-pig model sufficient as a preclinical model?

4. In Fig. 2, vehicle-treated infarct border area should be included as negative controls.

5. Fig. 3 needs better organization and explanation. Fig. 3B&3C are confusing (what’s the take-home message?). Fig. 3D should be included in the text, rather than as part of a figure.

**********

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: Jianyun Liu

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PLoS One. 2022 Mar 24;17(3):e0265347. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265347.r002

Author response to Decision Letter 0


17 Feb 2022

Responses to the editor

• Please discuss why muse cells are superior to MSCs.

• More details should be provided regarding how human Muse cells are generated. Do these Muse cells express HLA-G for better immune tolerance? What made them different from MSCs?

� Thank you for valuable comments. The information how human Muse cell product was generated was newly mentioned in the Method section, page 3 the last line as follows:

“Human Muse cell–based product was produced from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after exposing the cells to the combination stresses.” More detailed information is not available for the authors due to the trade secret. Thank you.

� Other questions are answered in the Discussion, page 10, paragraph 3 as follows:

“Previous studies comparing the effect of Muse cells and MSCs in animal models including acute myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm and partial liver transplantation suggested the superiority of Muse cells over MSCs in tissue repair effect (13, 17, 18). This was explained by several mechanisms; 1) systemically administered Muse cells selectively home to damaged site by sensing sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), one of the general signals of tissue injury produced by phosphorylating the cell membrane component sphingosine in damaged cells, by using S1P receptor 2. 2) After homing, Muse cells spontaneously differentiate into cells that comprise the tissue and replace damaged/dying cells, and survive as integrated cells in the host tissue for an extended period of time. 3) In contrast to Muse cells, MSCs are mainly trapped in the lung after systemic administration and they do not show specific homing to damaged site (13). Furthermore, MSCs disappear from the whole body by ~2 weeks after administration (13). Even if a small number of MSCs home to the damaged tissue, their differentiation potential is limited to osteocytes, adipocytes and chondrocytes, and are unable to differentiate into other mesodermal linages or ectodermal- or endodermal-lineages (10). Thus, replacement of damaged/dying cells may not be efficiently conducted in MSCs. 4) Muse cells have the ability to produce cytokines and trophic factors relevant to tissue protection, anti-apoptosis and anti-fibrosis at the similar level to that of MSCs. Since Muse cells selectively home to damaged site and are integrated, those by-stander effect might be long-lasting compared to MSCs (13, 17, 18). 5) High percent of Muse cells express HLA-G, known to related to immunotolerance in the placenta, compared to MSCs. This might enable Muse cells to survive in the host tissue for a longer time compared to MSCs (13). 6) Muse cells are contained in MSCs as 1~several percent of total population. Even though Muse cells are contained, the majority of non-Muse cells may mask the beneficial effect of Muse cells when MSCs are administered. One of the possible mechanisms might be competing S1P and inhibit specific homing of Muse cells to damaged tissue.”

• With respect to clinical use, are the muse cells easy to isolate and expand to a large amount in vitro?

� Thank you for the comment. According to the advice, we newly inserted the sentence below in Discussion, page 10, paragraph 2 as follows:

“Muse cells can be isolated as SSEA-3(+) cells from various sources since they normally reside in the bone marrow (~0.03% of mononucleated cell population), peripheral blood and organ connective tissue (7, 20). However, practical sources will be the bone marrow, adipose tissue, dermal fibroblasts and umbilical cord. Muse cells are also collectable from commercially released MSCs and fibroblasts, and are contained as several percent of these cultured cells (7, 20). Therefore, Muse cells are accessible.

The doubling time of Muse cells is ~1.3 days/cell division (7, 20). This is nearly the same or slightly longer than that of human fibroblasts. Since they are not tumorigenic, unlike ES and iPS cells, they do not show exponential proliferative activity. Nevertheless, they are expandable to a clinical scale. Indeed, Life Science Institute Inc., a group company of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, succeeded in producing clinical grade Muse cell formula, CL2020. CL2020 is already applied to clinical trials (19). “

Responses to the reviewer #1

Reviewer #1: The paper submitted by Yamada Y et al. includes studies that Muse cell product treatment significantly attenuated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) injury in mini-pigs in an effective and safe way. In fact, how to achieve the safety and effectiveness is still a key issue in stem cell therapy, while, this study has made beneficial attempts. This paper is well written, and the results are interesting and beneficial to further advance stem cell preclinical experiments in vivo. The authors should concern the following defects:

1 In Fig. 1D, the percentage of the infarction area should be detected by short-axis TTC staining, and the percentage of the fibrotic area should be detected by Masson-Trichrome staining

� Thank you for the comments. It is generally accepted that the Evans blue dye/TTC method is not reliable for evaluating infarct size 72 hours after the onset and/or reperfusion because of remodeling of the heart due to scar shrinkage within the infarct region (14). For this reason, we used Masson-Trichrome staining to assess the infarct size as a percentage of LV at 2 weeks after AMI.

We added these sentences to the Method section as follows, page 6, paragraph 1, lines 2-5:

“Since it is generally accepted that the Evans blue dye/TTC method is not reliable for evaluating infarct size 72 hours after reperfusion because of remodeling of the heart tissue due to scar shrinkage within the infarct region (14), we used Masson-Trichrome staining to assess the infarct size as the percentage of LV.”

2 Evidence should be shown for no any tumor formation in any organs in the Muse cell treatment group, for example, organs, including heart, kidney; lung; liver and pancreas, are fixed and cut into sections to stain with H-E to detect the tumor formation upon histological examination in any animals not only in the gross appearance of the organ but also under the microscope in heart, liver, lung, kidney, and spleen.

� Thank you for the comment.

We did not perform the pathological assessment whether the administration of Muse cells caused any tumor formation because the endpoint was set at 14 days in this study and it was too short time period to evaluate tumor formation. We have already examined whether intravenous administration of Muse cells caused tumor formation in a rabbit model of AMI at 2 months and 6 months after the administration (Yamada et al. Cir Res 2018). As a result, there was no tumor formation not only in the gross appearance of the organ but also under the microscope. Similarly, mouse stroke model that received human Muse cells did not show any tumor formation in the brain, liver, spleen, kidney and lung for up to 6 months (Uchida et al., Stroke 2017, 48:428-435.).

3 In Table1, the plasma activity of creatine kinase (CK)-MB and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as the plasma content of TNF-α should be included.

� Thank you for the comment.

Although we did not measure CK-MB, LDH or plasma TNF-α in the present study, we confirmed in the first-in-human clinical trial that administration of Muse cell product did not affect biological test such as LDH, ALT, AST, ALP, r-GTP, total bilirubin, BUN and creatinine, and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1�, TNF-α, IL-6 and INF-γduring 12 weeks (19). However, we agree that the point raised by the referee is very important. We added the sentence in the Discussion section of the revised version as follows, page 12, paragraph 1, lines 1- 4:

“We confirmed in this first-in-human clinical trial that administration of Muse cell product did not affect biological test such as LDH, ALT, AST, ALP, r-GTP, total bilirubin, BUN and creatinine, and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1�, TNF-α, IL-6 and INF-γ during 12 weeks (19).”

Responses to the Reviewer #2

Reviewer #2: In this manuscript, the authors tested human Muse (multilineage-differentiating stress enduring) cells in a mini-pig model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), to determine their therapeutic potential in AMI. The experimental design was straightforward. The data shown are solid and well-organized. However, a few things (listed below) the authors could have addressed better.

1. More details should be provided regarding how human Muse cells are generated. Do these Muse cells express HLA-G for better immune tolerance? What made them different from MSCs?

� Thank you for valuable comments. The information how human Muse cell product was generated was newly mentioned in the Method section, page 3 the last line as follows:

“Human Muse cell–based product was produced from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after exposing the cells to the combination stresses.” More detailed information is not available for the authors due to the trade secret. Thank you.

� In regard to HLA-G and difference between Muse cells and MSCs are described in Discussion, page 10, paragraph 3:

“Previous studies comparing the effect of Muse cells and MSCs in animal models including acute myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm and partial liver transplantation suggested the superiority of Muse cells over MSCs in tissue repair effect (13, 17, 18). This was explained by several mechanisms; 1) systemically administered Muse cells selectively home to damaged site by sensing sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), one of the general signals of tissue injury produced by phosphorylating the cell membrane component sphingosine in damaged cells, by using S1P receptor 2. 2) After homing, Muse cells spontaneously differentiate into cells that comprise the tissue and replace damaged/dying cells, and survive as integrated cells in the host tissue for an extended period of time. 3) In contrast to Muse cells, MSCs are mainly trapped in the lung after systemic administration and they do not show specific homing to damaged site (13). Furthermore, MSCs disappear from the whole body by ~2 weeks after administration (13). Even if a small number of MSCs home to the damaged tissue, their differentiation potential is limited to osteocytes, adipocytes and chondrocytes, and are unable to differentiate into other mesodermal linages or ectodermal- or endodermal-lineages (10). Thus, replacement of damaged/dying cells may not be efficiently conducted in MSCs. 4) Muse cells have the ability to produce cytokines and trophic factors relevant to tissue protection, anti-apoptosis and anti-fibrosis at the similar level to that of MSCs. Since Muse cells selectively home to damaged site and are integrated, those by-stander effect might be long-lasting compared to MSCs (13, 17, 18). 5) High percent of Muse cells express HLA-G, known to related to immunotolerance in the placenta, compared to MSCs. This might enable Muse cells to survive in the host tissue for a longer time compared to MSCs (13). 6) Muse cells are contained in MSCs as 1~several percent of total population. Even though Muse cells are contained, the majority of non-Muse cells may mask the beneficial effect of Muse cells when MSCs are administered. One of the possible mechanisms might be competing S1P and inhibit specific homing of Muse cells to damaged tissue. ”

• With respect to clinical use, are the muse cells easy to isolate and expand to a large amount in vitro?

� Thank you for the comment. We newly mentioned about the question on page 12, paragraph 2:

“Muse cells can be isolated as SSEA-3(+) cells from various sources since they normally reside in the bone marrow (~0.03% of mononucleated cell population), peripheral blood and organ connective tissue (7, 20). However, practical sources will be the bone marrow, adipose tissue, dermal fibroblasts and umbilical cord. Muse cells are also collectable from commercially released MSCs and fibroblasts, and are contained as several percent of these cultured cells (7, 20). Therefore, Muse cells are accessible.

The doubling time of Muse cells is ~1.3 days/cell division (7, 20). This is nearly the same or slightly longer than that of human fibroblasts. Since they are not tumorigenic, unlike ES and iPS cells, they do not show exponential proliferative activity. Nevertheless, they are expandable to a clinical scale. Indeed, Life Science Institute Inc., a group company of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, succeeded in producing clinical grade Muse cell formula, CL2020. CL2020 is already applied to clinical trials (19).”

2. In “animal model and protocol” method section, it is not clear why some animals received 10^7 human Muse cells, while “additional AMI animals (n=3) received …10^6 cells”, for what purpose?

� Thank you for the comment.

In the Method section, we stated that: “Animals received intravenous injection of 1x107 semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation (2 mL) (Muse group, n=5) or 2 mL of saline (Vehicle group, n=7) at 24 hours after reperfusion of occluded coronary artery for 30 min without immunosuppressants and observed for 2 weeks. Additional AMI animals (n=3) received intravenous injection of 1x106 of GFP-labeled-human Muse cells (7).”

The Muse cells administered 1 x 107 cells were semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation provided by Clio, Inc. (merged into Life Science Institute, Inc.Tokyo) which were not labelled with GFP. These cells were used for the assessment of effects on the infarct size and function.

On the other hand, to examine whether human Muse cell differentiate into cardiomyocytes and vessels in mini-pig AMI model, we infused the lesser number of human Muse cells labeled with GFP cells,1x106. Therefore, the purpose was different each other. Since the point raised by the referee is indeed important and information was insufficient, we newly added the sentence below in page 5, first paragraph:

“For the assessment of effects on the infarct size reduction and function recovery, animals received intravenous injection of 1x107 semi-clinical grade human Muse cell preparation (2 mL) (Muse group, n=5) or 2 mL of saline (Vehicle group, n=7) at 24 hours after reperfusion of occluded coronary artery for 30 min without immunosuppressants and observed for 2 weeks. For the assessment of Muse cell differentiation into cardiomyocytes and vessels in histologic analysis, additional AMI animals (n=3) received intravenous injection of 1x106 of GFP-labeled-human Muse cells (13). The investigators evaluating the outcomes were blinded to the protocol.”

3. In this study, the authors used mini-pig AMI model. What’s the difference between mini-pig and adult pig model? Is this mini-pig model sufficient as a preclinical model?

� Thank you for the comment.

Adult pigs such as Yorkshire pigs have too big weights of approximately 100-200 Kg, and mini-pigs have weights of approximately 10-20 kg. We considered that a mini-pig is sufficient as one of the preclinical models.

4. In Fig. 2, vehicle-treated infarct border area should be included as negative controls.

� Thank you for the comment.

As suggested by the reviewer, vehicle treated negative controls were added to the Figure 2 (Figure 2-B) and Figure 3 (Figure 3-B) in the revised version.

Fig. 2B

Fig. 3B

5. Fig. 3 needs better organization and explanation. Fig. 3B&3C are confusing (what’s the take-home message?). Fig. 3D should be included in the text, rather than as part of a figure.

� Thank you for the comment.

As suggested by the reviewer, we deleted Fig. 3D in the previous version. Consequentl y, Fig 3 was rearranged as follows:

Figure 3 Differentiation of Muse cells into vessels

A: GFP-labelled Muse cells and CD31-positive microvessels in the infarct border area.

GFP (green) and CD31 (Red) are merged, suggesting that GFP-labelled Muse cells differentiated into vascular endothelium. Bar = 50 µm

B: Negative control in the infarct border area. CD31 (red), DAPI (blue), Bar = 25 µm

C: Typical pictures of CD31-positive microvessels by immunohistological staining in the Vehicle and Muse groups. Bars = 50 µm

D: The number of CD31-positive microvessels by immunohistological staining is significantly greater in the Muse (n=5) group than in the Vehicle (n=7) group.

Because original Fig. 3B and Fig. 3 C were confusing, as pointed out by the reviewer, we explained these data in revised Figure 4 B & 4-C in the Figure Legends. Original Fig. 3B and 3C were moved to Fig 4 in the revised version. The revised legend for Fig 4 is rewrote as follows:

On page 17, paragraph 3, lines 3-8:

“B, C: Episode summary for 2 weeks in a case of Muse groups, showing no arrythmias such as bradycardia, pause except for tachycardia. When we see the recorded electrocardiogram as shown in C, this was judged as a 300/min of tachycardia in the loop recorder. However, careful analysis of electrocardiogram revealed that the recorder judged T wave and R wave as a one beat and then the heart rate was regarded as a 300/min of tachycardia, but it was actually a 150/min of heart rate. Therefore, this was not a real tachycardia of 300/min.”

Attachment

Submitted filename: Responses to the editor and reviewers.docx

Decision Letter 1

Meijing Wang

1 Mar 2022

Human Muse cells reduce myocardial infarct size and improve cardiac function without causing arrythmias in a swine model of acute myocardial infarction

PONE-D-21-37007R1

Dear Dr. Minatoguchi,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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If your institution or institutions have a press office, please notify them about your upcoming paper to help maximize its impact. If they’ll be preparing press materials, please inform our press team as soon as possible -- no later than 48 hours after receiving the formal acceptance. Your manuscript will remain under strict press embargo until 2 pm Eastern Time on the date of publication. For more information, please contact onepress@plos.org.

Kind regards,

Meijing Wang, MD

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

**********

2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: No

**********

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: This manuscript was well written. The authors have answered all my questions, now I have no more qeustions.

Reviewer #2: (No Response)

**********

7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean?). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy.

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: Jianyun Liu

Acceptance letter

Meijing Wang

9 Mar 2022

PONE-D-21-37007R1

Human Muse cells reduce myocardial infarct size and improve cardiac function without causing arrythmias in a swine model of acute myocardial infarction

Dear Dr. Minatoguchi:

I'm pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been deemed suitable for publication in PLOS ONE. Congratulations! Your manuscript is now with our production department.

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