Comparative study of catheter-mediated gene transfer into heart.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility and features of 3 catheter-mediated approaches of gene transfer into heart, including direct myocardial injection (DMI), coronary artery perfusion (CAP), and intrapericardial cavity injection (ICI).


METHODS
Fifteen dogs were used, and 0.3 ml (1 x 10(9) pfu) of an adenovirus (Adex1SR LacZ) was injected into the heart by 3 methods. The dogs were killed 5 days following injection, and gene expressions in heart and liver were evaluated by histochemical analysis.


RESULTS
The results showed that (1) the CAP method was relatively less damaging and induced sparse LacZ expression in the myocardium, and the gene expression was also found in both vessels within the myocardium and liver; (2) gene transfer by DMI resulted in intense LacZ expression around the injection accompanied by a local inflammatory response; (3) LacZ expression elicited by ICI was detected in either the inner surface of the parietal pericardium or epicardial surface of the heart, and also in the myocardium underlying the visceral pericardium.


CONCLUSIONS
Three catheter-mediated methods of gene transfer into the heart may be used and a reasonable approach should be chosen according to purpose.
Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University School of Medicine, Wuhan 430060, China.
Jianjun
J
Li
Gengshan
G
Li
Congxin
C
Huang
Hong
H
Jiang
Qizhu
Q
Tang
Jiali
J
Xu
Hao
H
Xia
Jing
J
Wang
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D007763:Lac Operon / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*