title: Adeno-associated virus-mediated bone morphogenetic protein-4 gene therapy for in vivo bone formation.
abstract: Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is so far the most valuable vehicle for gene therapy because it has no association with immune response and human disease. The present study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of AAV-mediated BMP4 gene transfer for bone formation. In vitro study suggested that AAV-BMP4 vectors could transduce myoblast C2C12 cells and produce osteogenic BMP4. In vivo study demonstrated that new bone formation could be induced by direct injection of AAV-BMP4 into the skeletal muscle of immunocompetent rats. Histological analysis revealed that the newly formed bone was induced through endochondral mechanism. Immunohistochemical staining further demonstrated that AAV-BMP4 gene delivery could mediate long-term transduction, and the involvement of BMP4 expression was responsible for the endochondral ossification. This study is, to our knowledge, the first report in the field of AAV-based BMP gene transfer and should be promising for clinical orthopaedic applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. hrmoldk@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Keith D K
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kenneth M C
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Hsiang-fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: John C Y
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002460:Cell Line; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010012:Osteogenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D011859:Radiography; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
chemical_list: C525809:BMP4 protein, human; C525810:Bmp4 protein, mouse; C525811:Bmp4 protein, rat; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins