title: Vascular endothelial growth factor gene therapy in ischaemic rat skin flaps.
abstract: Gene therapy with the complementary DNA (cDNA) of the angiogenic cytokine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has emerged as a promising strategy in the treatment of myocardial and lower-limb ischaemia. The objective of this study was to determine whether these principles could be applied to a recognised model of skin-flap ischaemia. Plasmid vectors including the cDNA of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and one of three VEGF isoforms (A165, B167 or B186) were constructed, and their base sequences confirmed. GFP expression was used as a marker of successful in vitro transfection of human endothelial cells with each plasmid. The plasmids were then administered subcutaneously to rat abdominal skin flaps surgically rendered ischaemic, and the percentage of viable tissue was assessed at 1 week. Angiograms of the flaps and histological preparations of flap tissue were assessed for evidence of angiogenesis. The survival of flaps treated with VEGF A165 or B167 cDNA was significantly greater than that of controls (P < 0.05). The survival of flaps treated with VEGF B186 cDNA was greater than that of controls, but statistical significance was not reached. Angiograms and microvessel density counts failed to produce evidence of angiogenesis. With improved delivery strategies, VEGF may have a role in the management of surgical ischaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lindeman
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Buckley
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marucci
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poole
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007511:Ischemia / Q000628:therapy*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010957:Plasmids; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D014022:Tissue Survival; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins