Improving the Cardioprotective and Regenerative Properties of Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Through the Overexpression of IGF1 and BMP2

Background: The effects of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) on ischemic hearts are limited by poor engraftment and low regenerative capacity. Moreover, the cardioprotective paracrine properties are impaired by donor age. Here, we attempted to overcome these hurdles by overexpressing IGF1 and BMP2 (IB), two factors involved in cardiac differentiation and cytoprotection.