Myocardial remodeling in c-kit deficient mice - quantitative assessment by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Mass Spectrometry Imaging

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Cornelius Faber, since 12/2019
• Subject Area: Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy, Radiobiology
• Term: from 2014 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 249895739

Due to the limited capacity of regeneration pluripotent stem cells are considered a promising approach to support healing of myocardial infarction. Bone barrow derived cells, which express the receptor tyrosine kinase c-kit, also known as the stem cells growth factor receptor SCFR, have been shown to drive myocardial healing by supporting neoangiogenesis, modulating the inflammatory response to myocardial infarction and promoting myofibroblast mediated repair of the murine infarct scar. Unfortunately, clinical trials applying c-kit+ bone marrow cells therapeutically could not reproduce those preclinical findings.Dedicated imaging techniques, that track specific biological mechanisms of heart regeneration, non-invasively, in vivo and over time are therefore crucial to foster the development of novel therapeutic strategies to improve healing of myocardial infarction. Building on the successful previous work on monitoring c-kit mediated effects of myocardial infarction healing by means of molecular imaging we aim to develop a novel imaging approach of combined Magnetic Resonance (in vivo) and Mass Spectrometry Imaging (ex vivo) approach to quantitatively assess key aspects of c-kit mediated injury repair. By targeting endothelial permeability, edema formation as well as the synthesis of elastic fibers and extracellular matrix we aim to reveal specific mechanistic effects of c-kit+ bone marrow cells and synergistic targeting of extracellular RNA on myocardial injury and healing by combined Magnetic Resonance and Mass Spectrometry Imaging.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Moritz Wildgruber, until 12/2019