Adenovirus-mediated VEGF(165) gene transfer enhances wound healing by promoting angiogenesis in CD1 diabetic mice.
It has been previously shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in promoting angiogenesis during wound repair and that healing-impaired diabetic mice show decreased VEGF expression levels. In order to investigate the potential benefits of gene therapy with growth factors on wound repair, a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus vector carrying the human VEGF(165) gene (AdCMV.VEGF(165)) was topically applied on excisional wounds of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Treatment with AdCMV.VEGF(165) significantly accelerated wound closure when compared with AdCMV.LacZ-treated, as well as saline-treated control mice, by promoting angiogenesis at the site of injury. Our findings suggest that AdCMV.VEGF(165) may be regarded as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of diabetic ulcers.
Romano Di Peppe
S
S
Laboratorio di Patologia Vascolare, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Via dei Monti di Creta 104, 00167 Rome, Italy.
Mangoni
A
A
Zambruno
G
G
Spinetti
G
G
Melillo
G
G
Napolitano
M
M
Capogrossi
M C
MC
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors