[Influence of vascular endothelial growth factor gene modification on skin substitute grafted on nude mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene modification on skin substitute grafted on nude mice.


METHODS
Human fibroblasts were transfected with VEGF adenovirus vector. Then the genetic modified fibroblasts were seeded on patches of Integra artificial skin. Twenty-four hours later, the Integra patches were grafted onto full-thickness skin defects on nude mice. Seventy-two nude mice were divided into experiment (n = 18, E, with fibroblasts seeded on Integra which were transfected by adenovirus containing VEGF in advance), GFP control (n = 18, the fibroblasts were transfected with adenovirus containing labelled GFP segment as same as that in E group, but containing no VEGF gene), Fb control (n = 18, without gene transfection), and control (n = 18, no fibroblast was seeded on Integra) groups. The survival rate, the revascularization process and the histological changes in the grafts in gene modified group (experimental group) and control groups were observed and analyzed.


RESULTS
The revascularization condition in the experimental group was much better than that in the control group. The grafts adhered firmly to the wound during early postoperation stage, and were more prone to bleed when separated from the wound. The survival rate was obviously higher, while the infection rate was much lower in experimental group (100.0%) compared with the control groups (83.3%, 75.0%, 77.8%, respectively) (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
High expression of VEGF by gene modification can promote the vascularization process of skin substitute, hence improve the grafting result.
Department of Burns, The No.3 Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan 430060, P.R. China.
Wei-guo
WG
Xie
Werner
W
Lindenmaier
Stefan
S
Gryzybowski
Hans-gunther
HG
Machens
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D014162:Transfection; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A