Bone Marrow Support of the Heart in Pressure Overload Is Lost with Aging

RATIONALE: Exogenous stem cell delivery is under investigation to prevent and treat cardiac dysfunction. It is less studied as to the extent endogenous bone marrow derived stem cells contribute to cardiac homeostais in response to stress and the affects of aging on this stress response. OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of bone marrow (BM) derived stem cells on cardiac homeostasis in response to pressure overload (PO) and how this response is altered by aging. METHODS AND RESULTS: Young (8 weeks) and old (>40 weeks) C57/b6 mice underwent homo- and heterochronic BM transplantation prior to transverse aortic constriction (TAC). We found that older BM is associated with decreased cardiac function following TAC. This decreased function is associated with decrease in BM cell engraftment, increased myocyte apoptosis, decreased myocyte hypertrophy, increased myocardial fibrosis and decreased cardiac function. Additionally, there is a decrease in activation of resident cells within the heart in response to PO in old mice. Interestingly, these effects are not due to alterations in vascular density or inflammation in response to PO or differences in ex vivo stem cell migration between young and old mice. CONCLUSIONS: BM derived stem cells are activated in response to cardiac PO, and the recruitment of BM derived cells are involved in cardiac myocyte hypertrophy and maintenance of function in response to PO which is lost with aging.