title: Recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor transfection alleviates hyperkinetic pulmonary artery hypertension in rabbit models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study objective was to investigate the effect of recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor gene transfection via an endotracheal approach on hyperkinetic pulmonary artery hypertension rabbit models.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rabbits with established pulmonary artery hypertension were separated into a gene transfection group (rabbits treated with intratracheal instillation of human hepatocyte growth factor 2 × 10(9) plaque-forming units coded by replication-defective recombinant adenovirus), an empty vector group, and a control group. Two weeks after endotracheal gene transfection, immunohistochemistry examination and Western blot were used to detect the protein expression of human hepatocyte growth factor. The hemodynamic data were measured, and pulmonary angiography was performed to investigate the pulmonary collateral vessels. The vascular density in lung also was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two weeks after gene transfection, human hepatocyte growth factor was expressed in the gene transfection group. The mean pulmonary artery pressure in the gene transfection group was lower than in the control and empty vector groups (P < .05 for both). The arteriolar density in the lung tissues of the gene transfection group was higher than in the other groups (P < .05), which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, double-labeling immunofluorescence, and pulmonary angiography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human hepatocyte growth factor was expressed in rabbit lung after gene transfection via an airway approach. Recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor transfection ameliorates the pulmonary artery hypertension induced by shunt flow by promoting angiogenesis in lung tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guangqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yiqian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ruifang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shuming
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D065627:Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor