Abstract

Embolus-carried vascular endothelial cell growth factor 165 improves angiogenesis in thromboangiitis obliterans

Author(s): Q. Liu, H.C. Zhou, X.L. Yang, Y.P. Zhao, H.P. Luo, C.W. He and X.B. Wan

We investigated neovasculization effects of embolus-carried human vascular endothelial cell growth factor 165 (VEGF165)-encoded adenovirus (Ad) vector in the hindlimbs of rats with thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO). Rats were equally divided into blank control (I), TAO model (II), embolus (III), Ad-VEGF165 intravascular treatment (IV), Ad-VEGF165 intramuscular treatment (V), and embolus-carried Ad-VEGF165 (VI) groups. After interventional treatment, the neovasculization effect of the test gene was observed using immunohistochemistry. At 1 week after administration, compared with group II, groups V and VI had significantly increased microvessel densities, but no significant difference was observed between groups V and VI. At 2 weeks, groups V and VI exhibited significantly increased microvessel densities. At 1 week after administration, compared with group II, both groups V and VI showed a significant difference in the ratio between the α-smooth muscle actin count and the muscle fiber count, whereas no significant difference was observed between them. At 2 weeks, groups V and VI also exhibited significant differences in theseratios compared with the other groups. We conclude that Ad-VEGF165 promotes neovasculization in ischemic limbs. Embolus-carried Ad- VEGF165 had the most pronounced effect.

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