1. ¹National University Medical Institutes, Singapore 119074, Singapore
2. ²Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119074
3. ³Washington Adventist Hospital, Takoma Park, Maryland 20912, USA
4. ⁴Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Pompidou Hospital, Paris, France

Correspondence: Eugene K. W. Sim, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, The Heart Institute, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074. Fax: +65- 6776 6475. E-mail: sursimkw@nus.edu.sg

Received 3 September 2003; Accepted 22 October 2003.

Abstract

The incidence of heart failure is achieving epidemic proportions. Adult human myocytes cannot regenerate because these cells do not reenter the cell cycle. In patients with heart failure, myoblast transplantation is emerging as a potential therapeutic option to augment the function of remaining myocytes. Both skeletal myoblasts and autologous bone marrow cell transplantation, after intensive preclinical experimental animal studies, have entered phase I safety studies in humans. Most of these clinical trials have involved small groups of patients and cell transplantation was carried out as an adjunct to coronary revascularization. Preliminary results show that the procedure is safe and leads to improved myocardial function. This paper reviews and summarizes the outcome of these phase I trials involving skeletal myoblast transplantation.