Abstract: Methods and compositions are disclosed for inhibiting, deterring or preventing apoptosis of cardiac myocytes, transplanted stem cells, vascular stem cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells by means of expressing or synthesizing clusterin. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for producing recombinant clusterin, or its biologically active peptides, and for induction of clusterin-associated lipoproteins or enzymes for deterring or preventing inflammatory injury and apoptosis induced by oxLDL, oxysterols, cytokines, and Fas Ligand. Also disclosed is an induction method and composition for enhancing expression of ALDH and ALDH-associated enzymes or co-factors to prevent cytotoxicity or detoxification. Therapeutic methods providing new expression or overexpression of clusterin in vascular or cardiac tissue are expected to inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, stabilize existing atherosclerotic plaques, and repair failing or damaged cardiac tissue.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for regulating in vitro cell growth are disclosed, and for providing undifferentiated stem cells or embryonic cells that are suitable for transplantation into damaged tissues or organs, or for use in tissue repair. A representative method includes causing the overexpression or underexpression of GalT binding protein (GtBP), also referred to as GalT associated protein (GTAP), in a cell such that ubiquitination of at least one cellular protein associated with cell adhesion and/or cell-to-cell interaction is correspondingly increased or decreased, causing inhibition of cell growth when GTAP is overexpressed and causing enhanced cell growth when GTAP is underexpressed by the cell. As a result, growth of the cell is altered or regulated.

Abstract: An in vitro method of producing stem cells with potential to develop into cardiovascular myocytes is disclosed which comprises culturing myogenic stem cells obtained from the stromal or mesenchymal compartment of adult adipose tissue in a medium that favors myogenic development of the cells. These myogenic stem cells highly express telomerase and myocardin. A composition comprising fat-derived myogenic stem cells and/or differentiated cardiovascular myocytes and a method for treating a mammalian subject suffering from a cardiovascular disorder are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of enhancing survival and differentiation of stem cells, and cells of myogenic lineage derived from said stem cells, when the cells are exposed to an inflammatory or apoptotic stimulus comprises culturing stem cells in vitro in a medium containing a statin, to produce statin-pretreated cells with enhanced resistance to inflammatory or apoptotic stimuli. Additionally, the statin-pretreated cells may be caused or allowed to differentiate into statin-pretreated cells of myogenic lineage (e.g., cells having a vascular or cardiac myocyte phenotype). The resulting inflammation- and apoptosis resistant cells may then be used for cell therapy, as in treating an ischemic or infarcted vessel or heart.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are disclosed for inhibiting, deterring or preventing apoptosis of cardiac myocytes, transplanted stem cells, vascular stem cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells by means of expressing or synthesizing clusterin. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for producing recombinant clusterin, or its biologically active peptides, and for induction of clusterin-associated lipoproteins or enzymes for deterring or preventing inflammatory injury and apoptosis induced by oxLDL, oxysterols, cytokines, and Fas Ligand. Also disclosed is an induction method and composition for enhancing expression of ALDH and ALDH-associated enzymes or co-factors to prevent cytotoxicity or detoxification. Therapeutic methods providing new expression or overexpression of clusterin in vascular or cardiac tissue are expected to inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, stabilize existing atherosclerotic plaques, and repair failing or damaged cardiac tissue.