CCL2/Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Regulates Inflammatory Responses Critical to Healing Myocardial Infarcts

The CC chemokine Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein (MCP)-1/CCL2 has potent mononuclear cell chemo-attractant properties, modulates fibroblast and endothelial cell phenotype and may play an important role in wound healing. In order to examine whether MCP-1 critically regulates myocardial infarct healing, we studied the effects of MCP-1 gene disruption and antibody neutralization in a closed-chest model of reperfused murine myocardial infarction. MCP-1-/- mice had decreased and delayed macrophage infiltration in the healing infarct and demonstrated delayed replacement of injured cardiomyocytes with granulation tissue. In contrast, the time course and density of neutrophil infiltration was similar in MCP-1 null…