Treatment of myocardial infarction via implantation of electroactive alginate/gelatin cardiac patch seeded with mesenchymal stem cells in a rat model.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of mortality around the globe. Cardiac patches offer a promising tissue engineering approach to facilitate the natural regeneration of damaged cardiac tissue. In this research, electroactive cardiac patches composed of alginate-gelatin (Alg-Gel) were fabricated using a freeze-drying technique. The scaffolds were subsequently coated with varying concentrations of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to improve cardiac performance. The samples were thoroughly characterized in terms of their physicochemical, morphological, and biological properties, including morphology, cell viability, and gene expression. Notably, an rGO concentration of 0.3% w/v significantly improved the viability of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), while upregulating the expression of Connexin 43 (Conx43), tryptophan transporter 2 (TrpT-2), and actinin 4 (Actn4), all of which are critical for cardiac cell function. To evaluate therapeutic efficacy in vivo, Alg-Gel-rGO scaffolds seeded with BMSCs were implanted into the infarcted area of a rat model of MI. Echocardiographic, histological, and immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that the prepared patches improved cardiac function, reduced scar thickness, and promoted angiogenesis, thereby supporting cardiac tissue repair. These findings suggest that Alg-Gel-rGO scaffolds hold significant potential for regenerating damaged myocardial tissue and enhancing post-MI recovery, representing a viable strategy in cardiac tissue engineering.