Ectopic bone formation by human bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene transfer to skeletal muscle using transcutaneous electroporation.
Therapy using recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is expected to promote bone healing and regeneration. Previous studies using protein or virus vectors for direct clinical application had problems, including a lack of efficiency, safety, and simplicity of the delivery system, and required an expensive protein, carrier matrix, or antigenic viral vector. In vivo gene transfer by electroporation is a simple and inexpensive method that only requires a plasmid and an electroporation device. Here, we created a plasmid-based human BMP-2 construct (pCAGGS-BMP-2) and examined the induction of bone in the skeletal muscle of rats after transferring different doses of this plasmid (25 microg, 100 microg, and 400 microg) by transcutaneous electroporation (8 electrical pulses of 100 V and 50 msec, in 1 to 5 sessions). First, we verified the gene transfer by transcutaneous electroporation using pCAGGS-lacZ. Next, the BMP-2 gene transfer and the production and localization of BMP-2 were identified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blots, and immunohistochemistry. Ectopic bone formation was verified by radiography, histologic and immunohistochemical analyses, and quantitative examination. Ectopic bone formation, consisting of active osteoblasts and osteoclasts, was observed in all rats treated with electroporation. Thus, transcutaneous electroporation with pCAGGS-BMP-2 induced ectopic bone formation in the skeletal muscle of rats. This supports the possibility of applying human BMP-2 gene transfer using transcutaneous electroporation clinically.
Kawai
Mariko
M
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
Bessho
Kazuhisa
K
Kaihara
Shinji
S
Sonobe
Junya
J
Oda
Kimimitsu
K
Iizuka
Tadahiko
T
Maruyama
Hiroki
H
D000818:Animals; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
C525718:BMP2 protein, human; C525720:Bmp2 protein, rat; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C499469:recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2