Injected Human Muscle Precursor Cells Overexpressing PGC-1α Enhance Functional Muscle Regeneration after Trauma

Figure 4

PGC-1α overexpression in hMPCs reduces the inflammatory response in the crush injury. (a) Unspecific accumulation of neovascularization radiotracer [⁶⁴Cu]NODAGA-RGD in the early time points after the injury. (b) Immunohistological assessment of macrophage (F4/80, red) invasion in the injured region with and without hMPCs (green). (c) Evaluation of the fluorescent intensity showed increased F4/80 signal in TA crush only, compared to TA native (early), and reduced signal at the site of injection of hD2R_hPGC-1α-infected cells, compared to GFP (early). The latter trend was visible also at later time points (midterm, late). (d) RTPCR analysis of the relative TNF-α gene expression in the crushed tissue could further confirm the anti-inflammatory effect of PGC-1α overexpressing hMPCs, sustained over time. SUV: standardized uptake value, TAnat: tibialis anterior native, TAcr: tibialis anterior crushed. , , , and .

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)