title: Ultrasound enhances reporter gene expression after transfection of vascular cells in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention remains a serious clinical problem. Progress in local gene therapy to prevent restenosis has been hindered by concerns over the safety and efficacy of viral vectors and the limited efficiency of nonviral techniques. This study investigates the use of adjunctive ultrasound to enhance nonviral gene delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cultured porcine vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) were transfected with naked or liposome-complexed luciferase reporter plasmid for 3 hours. Ultrasound exposure (USE) for 60 seconds at 1 MHz, 0.4 W/cm2, 30 minutes into this transfection period enhanced luciferase activity 48 hours later by 7.5-fold and 2. 4-fold, respectively. Luciferase activity after lipofection of ECs was similarly enhanced 3.3-fold by adjunctive USE. USE had no effect on cell viability, although it inhibited VSMC but not EC proliferation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjunctive USE was associated with enhanced transgene expression in VSMCs and ECs and reduced VSMC but not EC proliferation in vitro, which suggests that ultrasound-assisted local gene therapy has potential as an antirestenotic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Medicine, Division of Clinical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lawrie
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Brisken
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Tayler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Crossman
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cumberland
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000528:radiation effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000528:radiation effects*; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013552:Swine; D014162:Transfection / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D008156:Luciferases