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Ke Cheng

Bio: Ke Cheng is an academic researcher from North Carolina State University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Stem cell & Transplantation. The author has an hindex of 47, co-authored 148 publications receiving 8205 citations. Previous affiliations of Ke Cheng include University of Georgia & Zhengzhou University.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) were used to reduce scarring after myocardial infarction, increase viable myocardium, and boost cardiac function in preclinical models.

1,352 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Exosomes secreted by human CDCs are identified as key mediators of CDC-induced regeneration, while highlighting the potential utility of exosomes as cell-free therapeutic candidates.
Abstract: The CADUCEUS trial of cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) has shown that it may be possible to regenerate injured heart muscle previously thought to be permanently scarred. The mechanisms of benefit are known to be indirect, but the mediators have yet to be identified. Here we pinpoint exosomes secreted by human CDCs as critical agents of regeneration and cardioprotection. CDC exosomes inhibit apoptosis and promote proliferation of cardiomyocytes, while enhancing angiogenesis. Injection of exosomes into injured mouse hearts recapitulates the regenerative and functional effects produced by CDC transplantation, whereas inhibition of exosome production by CDCs blocks those benefits. CDC exosomes contain a distinctive complement of microRNAs, with particular enrichment of miR-146a. Selective administration of a miR-146a mimic reproduces some (but not all) of the benefits of CDC exosomes. The findings identify exosomes as key mediators of CDC-induced regeneration, while highlighting the potential utility of exosomes as cell-free therapeutic candidates.

675 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: CDCs exhibited a balanced profile of paracrine factor production and, among various comparator cell types/subpopulations, provided the greatest functional benefit in experimental myocardial infarction.

437 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, autologous stem CElls were used to reverse ventric dySfunction of infarcted segments at 1 year post-MI, and the results showed that scar shrinkage correlated with an increase in viability and with improvement in regional function.

415 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
25 Sep 2009-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: This study demonstrates that direct culture and expansion of CPCs from myocardial tissue is simple, straightforward, and reproducible when appropriate techniques are used.
Abstract: Background At least four laboratories have shown that endogenous cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) can be grown directly from adult heart tissue in primary culture, as cardiospheres or their progeny (cardiosphere-derived cells, CDCs). Indeed, CDCs are already being tested in a clinical trial for cardiac regeneration. Nevertheless, the validity of the cardiosphere strategy to generate CPCs has been called into question by reports based on variant methods. In those reports, cardiospheres are argued to be cardiomyogenic only because of retained cardiomyocytes, and stem cell activity has been proposed to reflect hematological contamination. We use a variety of approaches (including genetic lineage tracing) to show that neither artifact is applicable to cardiospheres and CDCs grown using established methods, and we further document the stem cell characteristics (namely, clonogenicity and multilineage potential) of CDCs. Methodology/principal findings CPCs were expanded from human endomyocardial biopsies (n = 160), adult bi-transgenic MerCreMer-Z/EG mice (n = 6), adult C57BL/6 mice (n = 18), adult GFP(+) C57BL/6 transgenic mice (n = 3), Yucatan mini pigs (n = 67), adult SCID beige mice (n = 8), and adult Wistar-Kyoto rats (n = 80). Cellular yield was enhanced by collagenase digestion and process standardization; yield was reduced in altered media and in specific animal strains. Heparinization/retrograde organ perfusion did not alter the ability to generate outgrowth from myocardial sample. The initial outgrowth from myocardial samples was enriched for sub-populations of CPCs (c-Kit(+)), endothelial cells (CD31(+), CD34(+)), and mesenchymal cells (CD90(+)). Lineage tracing using MerCreMer-Z/EG transgenic mice revealed that the presence of cardiomyocytes in the cellular outgrowth is not required for the generation of CPCs. Rat CDCs are shown to be clonogenic, and cloned CDCs exhibit spontaneous multineage potential. Conclusions/significance This study demonstrates that direct culture and expansion of CPCs from myocardial tissue is simple, straightforward, and reproducible when appropriate techniques are used.

290 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The 2017-18 FAHA/FACC/FAHA Education and Research Grants will be focused on advancing the profession’s understanding of central nervous system disorders and the management of post-traumatic stress disorder.

4,556 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
06 Aug 2010-Cell
TL;DR: It is believed that functional cardiomyocytes can be directly reprogrammed from differentiated somatic cells by defined factors, and the reprogramming of endogenous or explanted fibroblasts might provide a source of cardiomeocytes for regenerative approaches.

2,258 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) were used to reduce scarring after myocardial infarction, increase viable myocardium, and boost cardiac function in preclinical models.

1,352 citations