Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Advanced Materials, 2403642. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202403642 Kaveh Roshanbinfar et al.
Points
- Myocardial infarction (MI) often leads to sudden cardiac deaths (SCD), with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) not addressing the underlying arrhythmia or adverse cardiac remodeling.
- A novel injectable collagen-PEDOT hydrogel has been developed to protect infarcted hearts from ventricular tachycardia (VT). It can be combined with human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes for partial cardiac remuscularization.
- Incorporating PEDOT into collagen gel enhances gel formation, micromorphology, and conductivity, allowing hiPSC-cardiomyocytes to exhibit near-adult cardiomyocyte characteristics.
- Culturing hiPSC-cardiomyocytes in collagen-PEDOT hydrogels results in improved contractility, calcium handling, and conduction velocity, with RNA-sequencing confirming enhanced maturation and cell-matrix interactions.
- Injecting collagen-PEDOT hydrogels into infarcted mouse hearts significantly reduces VT occurrences to levels comparable to healthy hearts, demonstrating its potential to mitigate arrhythmias and improve cardiac function post-MI.
Summary
Myocardial infarction (MI) is a severe condition that often leads to sudden cardiac deaths (SCD), accounting for a significant portion of MI-related mortality. While implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are effective in preventing SCD, they can contribute to adverse cardiac remodeling and do not address the underlying arrhythmia. A novel approach involving an injectable collagen-PEDOT:PSS hydrogel has been developed to address these challenges. This hydrogel aims to protect infarcted hearts from ventricular tachycardia (VT) and can be combined with human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes to facilitate partial cardiac remuscularization.
The study demonstrates that incorporating PEDOT:PSS into collagen gel enhances gel formation, micromorphology, and conductivity. When hiPSC-cardiomyocytes are cultured in collagen-PEDOT:PSS hydrogels, they resemble adult cardiomyocytes, including near-adult sarcomeric length, improved contractility, enhanced calcium handling, and increased conduction velocity. RNA-sequencing data further confirm the enhanced maturation and improved cell-matrix interactions within the hydrogel system. Injection of collagen-PEDOT:PSS hydrogels into infarcted mouse hearts significantly reduces VT occurrences to levels comparable to healthy hearts, showcasing the potential of this approach in mitigating arrhythmias post-MI.
The findings suggest that collagen-PEDOT:PSS hydrogels represent a promising strategy for treating cardiac injuries, particularly in MI-induced arrhythmias and SCD. By combining the benefits of collagen and PEDOT:PSS with hiPSC-cardiomyocytes, this innovative approach offers a versatile platform for enhancing cardiac function and reducing the risk of life-threatening arrhythmias following myocardial infarction.
Link to the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202403642
References Roshanbinfar, K., Schiffer, M., Carls, E., Angeloni, M., Koleśnik‐Gray, M., Schruefer, S., Schubert, D. W., Ferrazzi, F., Krstić, V., Fleischmann, B. K., Roell, W., & Engel, F. B. (2024). Electrically Conductive Collagen-PEDOT:PSS Hydrogel Prevents Post-Infarct Cardiac Arrhythmia and Supports hiPSC-Cardiomyocyte Function. Advanced Materials, 2403642. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202403642
