ATC Abstracts

American Transplant Congress abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2022 American Transplant Congress
    • 2021 American Transplant Congress
    • 2020 American Transplant Congress
    • 2019 American Transplant Congress
    • 2018 American Transplant Congress
    • 2017 American Transplant Congress
    • 2016 American Transplant Congress
    • 2015 American Transplant Congress
    • 2013 American Transplant Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
    • 2021 Resources
    • 2016 Resources
      • 2016 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2016 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2015-2016
      • AST Board of Directors 2015-2016
    • 2015 Resources
      • 2015 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2015 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2014-2015
      • AST Board of Directors 2014-2015
      • 2015 Conference Schedule
  • Search

Novel Mechanism of Immune Evasion by Human Neonatal Cardiac Progenitor Cells Recovers Ailing Myocardium in Rat Myocardial Infarct Model

M. Gunasekaran, R. Mishra, S. Sharma, P. Saha, L. Wang, M. Yasir Arfat, L. Davidson, X. Fu, A. Shah, M. Abdullah, D. Li, S. Kaushal

Surgery, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: D-313

Keywords: Echocardiography, Heart, Immunosuppression, Stem cells

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session D: Cellular Therapies, Tissue Engineering / Regenerative Medicine

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

Session Time: 3:15pm-4:00pm

 Presentation Time: 3:30pm-4:00pm

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: Immune rejection of transplanted stem/progenitor cells is a major stumbling block in designing effective therapy for myocardial infarction (MI). Human neonatal cardiac progenitor cells (nCPCs) showed superior cardiac functional recovery compared to adult CPCs in immune competent rat MI model. However, molecular mechanisms underlying immune evasion by transplanted nCPCs in the infarcted myocardium was unexplored. Here, we demonstrate for the first-time the expression and function of CD47 in human nCPCs and its novel mechanism of immune evasion increases its regenerative potential in rat MI model.

*Methods: Cardiac functional outcome following nCPCs/aCPCs in rat MI model was measured by echocardiography. Transplanted cell retention, in vivo phagocytosis and CD68+ cells was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In vitro phagocytosis analysis for aCPCs/nCPCs were performed with THP-1 derived macrophages. THP-1 differentiated macrophages were validated for the expression of CD68 and absence of CD31. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used for proteomic analysis of nCPCs and aCPCs. CD47 expression in nCPCs was blocked by anti-CD47/ siRNA transections/lenti-virus expressing CD47 shRNAs approaches. CD47 knock down efficiency by siRNA and lenti-virus were validated by immunoblot. Isotype antibody, scrambled siRNA and lentivirus expressing empty vector served as control.

*Results: Transplanted nCPCs showed significant increased cell retention, reduced phagocytosis and CD68+ cells compared to aCPCs in vivo rat MI model. Comparative proteomic analysis between nCPCs and aCPCs showed that CD47, a transmembrane protein highly up-regulated in nCPCs. Increased CD47 expression in nCPCs inhibited phagocytosis compared to aCPCs in vitro and in vivo (p<0.05). Further, CD47 blockade in nCPCs using anti-CD47, siRNA and shRNA lentiviral based approaches increased in vitro, in vivo phagocytosis, CD68+ cells and reduced cell retention and MI recovery in vivo.

*Conclusions: In conclusion, increased CD47 expression in nCPCs evade phagocytosis by CD47/SIRPα immune regulatory axis to demonstrates its immune evasion potential and its therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine.

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Gunasekaran M, Mishra R, Sharma S, Saha P, Wang L, Arfat MYasir, Davidson L, Fu X, Shah A, Abdullah M, Li D, Kaushal S. Novel Mechanism of Immune Evasion by Human Neonatal Cardiac Progenitor Cells Recovers Ailing Myocardium in Rat Myocardial Infarct Model [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/novel-mechanism-of-immune-evasion-by-human-neonatal-cardiac-progenitor-cells-recovers-ailing-myocardium-in-rat-myocardial-infarct-model/. Accessed May 11, 2025.

« Back to 2020 American Transplant Congress

Visit Our Partner Sites

American Transplant Congress (ATC)

Visit the official site for the American Transplant Congress »

American Journal of Transplantation

The official publication for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) »

American Society of Transplantation (AST)

An organization of more than 3000 professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation. »

American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

The society represents approximately 1,800 professionals dedicated to excellence in transplantation surgery. »

Copyright © 2013-2025 by American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Preferences