Microencapsulated myoblasts transduced by the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene for the ischemic skin flap.
BACKGROUND
This experimental study aimed to explore the influence of locally administered microencapsulated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-secreting myoblasts on the survival of the ischemic skin flap in rats and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism.


METHODS
The pcDNA6/His A-VEGF165 plasmid was constructed, amplified, and transfected into myoblasts. Cells then were encapsulated in a sodium alginate-barium chloride microcapsule. The study investigated 64 Wistar rats (males and females). Two symmetric 2 × 10-cm, full-thickness dorsal ischemic skin flaps were elevated on each rat. One flap was used as the experiment area, and the other was used as a control. The microencapsulated VEGF-secreting myoblasts were injected into the right flap of the rat on preoperative days 0, 2, 4, and 7. The left flap in each animal was injected with the encapsulated untransfected cells. The 64 rats were randomly divided into four groups of 16 rats each.


RESULTS
The effect of the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group. The experimental group had a certain time-dependent effect.


CONCLUSIONS
Microencapsulated VEGF-secreting-myoblasts may be a promising therapy for ischemic flaps in rats.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China. chenweihua630208@sina.com
Weihua
W
Chen
Daping
D
Yang
Peng
P
Wang
Songying
S
Gao
Xianyu
X
Zhang
Tao
T
Wang
D000818:Animals; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D032446:Myoblasts; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D014162:Transfection; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A