title: A targeted high-efficiency angiogenesis strategy as therapy for myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to prove that an intramyocardial injection of a mixture of low-dose human growth factor (HGF) plasmid and microbubbles (MB) in combination with insonation was an effective therapy for myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty dogs with myocardial infarction were divided into 4 groups: (1) HGF, MB and ultrasound (HGF-US/MB), (2) HGF and US (HGF-US), (3) HGF alone and (4) surgery alone (control). In the HGF-US/MB group, HGF plasmid DNA (500 μg) mixed with 0.5 ml of MB solution was injected 5 min after coronary occlusion followed by insonation. With the exception of the control group, the other dogs were divided into two groups, one treated with the HGF gene and insonation and the other with the HGF gene only.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the HGF group, infarct size decreased from 32%±7% (control) to 23%±5% in the HGF-US/MB group 28 d later (P<0.05). Capillary density increased from 21.7±4.2/mm(2) (control) to 114.3±28.9/mm(2) in the HGF-US/MB group (P<0.01). Compared to the HGF group, there was a 14% decrease in the ratio of left ventricle weight/body weight and a 25% decrease in hydroxyproline content. We also observed a 29% and 20% decrease in collagen volume fraction of type I and type III collagen, respectively in the HGF-US/MB group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intramyocardial injection of HGF and MB in combination with insonation enhances neovascularization and reduces ventricular remodeling and infarct size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Southwest Hospital, the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiao-ying
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Bao-cheng
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Xue-jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xing-sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liang-yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Si
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000502:physiology; D004285:Dogs; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D045423:Microbubbles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D006909:Hydroxyproline