Intravascular magnetic resonance/radiofrequency may enhance gene therapy for prevention of in-stent neointimal hyperplasia.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the potential of using intravascular magnetic resonance (MR)/radiofrequency (RF) to enhance vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene therapy of in-stent neointimal hyperplasia.


METHODS
By using a catheter-based approach, VEGF/lentivirus was locally transferred into 10 (five paired) bilateral femoral-iliac arteries of five hypercholesterolemic pigs, whereas the right arteries were heated up to approximately 41 degrees C by using an intravascular MR/RF system. Then, identical stents were placed immediately into the bilateral VEGF-targeted arteries to create in-stent neointimal hyperplasia. At day 60 after gene/stent interventions, the targeted arteries were harvested for histological correlation.


RESULTS
X-Ray angiography-detectable in-stent stenoses were found in three of the arteries treated with VEGF genes only, whereas there were no in-stent stenoses in arteries treated by using MR/RF-heated VEGF genes. Correlative histological examination confirmed a 138% reduction in average thickness of neointimal hyperplasia in VEGF/RF-treated arteries compared with VEGF-only-treated arteries (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
We report a potential method of using an intravascular MR/RF heating technique to enhance gene therapy of in-stent restenosis.
Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Traylor Building, Room 330, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Fabao
F
Gao
Bensheng
B
Qiu
Sourav
S
Kar
Xiangcan
X
Zhan
Lawrence V
LV
Hofmann
Xiaoming
X
Yang
D000818:Animals; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008280:Magnetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000078702:Radiofrequency Therapy; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013552:Swine; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A