mAb C19 targets a novel surface marker for the isolation of XXXX cardiac progenitor cells from @entity1 heart tissue and differentiated hESCs.

@entity1 @entity2533 @entity29467
AIMS: Cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) have been isolated from adult and developing hearts using an anti-mouse @entity29467 antibody. However, the absence of a @entity1 @entity29467 homologue has hampered the clinical application of the CPCs. Therefore, we generated novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specifically raised against surface markers expressed by resident @entity1 CPCs. Here, we explored the suitability of one of these mAbs, mAb C19, for the identification, isolation and characterization of CPCs from fetal heart tissue and differentiating cultures of @entity1 embryonic stem cells (hESCs). METHODS _ RESULTS: Using whole-cell immunization, mAbs were raised against @entity29467 + CPCs and screened for reactivity to various CPC lines by flow cytometry. mAb C19 was found to be specific for @entity29467 + CPCs, with high cell surface binding capabilities. mAb C19 stained small stem-like cells in cardiac tissue sections. Moreover, during differentiation of hESCs towards cardiomyocytes, a transient population of cells with mAb C19 reactivity was identified and isolated using magnetic-activated cell sorting. Their cell fate was tracked and found to improve cardiomyocyte purity from hESC-derived cultures. mAb C19+ CPCs, from both hESC differentiation and fetal heart tissues, were maintained and expanded in culture, while retaining their CPC-like characteristics and their ability to further differentiate into cardiomyocytes by stimulation with @entity2533 . Finally, gene expression profiling of these mAb C19+ CPCs suggested a highly angiogenic nature, which was further validated by cell-based angiogenesis assays. CONCLUSION: mAb C19 is a new surface marker for the isolation of multipotent CPCs from both @entity1 heart tissues and differentiating hESCs.
