title: Gene therapy to enhance condylar growth using rAAV-VEGF.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that the introduction of specific vascular growth inducting genes would favorably affect mandibular condylar growth in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats over a limited experimental period. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the effect of gene therapy on condylar growth by means of a morphological assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety 35-day-old female SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, which received any of the injections of recombinant adeno-associated virus mediated vascular endothelial growth factor (rAAV-VEGF), rAAV mediated enhanced green fluorescence protein (rAAV-eGFP), or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) into both mandibular condyles. Each group of rats was sacrificed on the following experimental days: 7, 14, 21, 30, and 60. Left halves of the mandibles were isolated and digital pictures were obtained in a standardized manner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The length of condylar process (B-F) as well as mandibular length (A-F) significantly increased on day 30 and continued to increase until the end of the experiment. Moreover, the width of condyle (Q-R) had increased significantly from day 30 and lasted to day 60. Condylar length (C-D) was found to be significantly longer on day 60.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gene therapy with VEGF stimulates condylar growth at will. The rAAV-VEGF is an excellent candidate for future gene therapy to induce mandibular growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: A Bakr M
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rabie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002508:Cephalometry; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D008845:Microinjections; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride