OBJECTIVE: To obtain a greater understanding of the contributions of age-related genes on abnormal cardiac function. STUDY DESIGN: We report a cell therapy approach that converts rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into myocardial cells. Animals were divided into 4 groups: lentiviral enhanced green fluorescent protein group, lentiviral enhanced green fluorescent protein Klotho group, model group, and normal group. After rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were infected, they were directly injected into rats with heart failure, where they underwent differentiation. RESULTS: The rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiated myocardial cells were functional in the model rats with heart failure. The transfection efficiency of Klotho was 80%; the survival rate of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vivo as well as myocardial injury repair were enhanced; and myocardial collagen deposition, cell apoptosis, and fibrosis were reduced. In addition, the distribution of the transplanted rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the rats was assessed. CONCLUSION: This study shows the feasibility of a simple and inexpensive gene overexpression approach to convert rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into therapeutic myocardial cells for the treatment of heart failure. © Science Printers and Publishers, Inc.