title: Role of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 transfection in alleviating osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.
abstract: Decreased levels of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been proven to cause osteoporosis. Gene transfer of IGF-1 offers an attractive technology to treat skeletal metabolic disorders including osteoporosis, but the viral vectors are limited by their high antigenicity and immune response. Our purpose was to investigate the expression of a non-invasive vector, recombinant plasmid enhanced green fluorescent protein-N1 (pEGFP-N1) that transferred IGF-1 gene into ovariectomized (OVX) rats in vivo and evaluate the effect of this therapy on osteoporosis. OVX or sham operations were performed in 60 female, 7-month-old unmated SD rats. 12 weeks after OVX operation, the vectors were transfected to the 10-month-old rats and experimental data were detected from 48 h to 7 week after transfection. Our results showed that remarkable expression of fluorescence and serum IGF-1 was observed in the rats transfected by recombinant plasmids, indicating that IGF-1 gene was successfully transferred to OVX rats by injecting the vector through hydrodynamic method via the tail vein. The bone metabolism index including serum alkaline phosphatase, the histomorphometric parameters of lumbar vertebra including trabecular area percentage, trabecular thickness, trabecular number and trabecular separation, and the bone mineral density (BMD) and biomechanical parameters of lumbar vertebra including BMD, maximum condensing force, crushing strength in OVX rats transfected by pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 were improved remarkably compared with OVX+pEGFP-N1 rats, indicating that the transfection of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 played a significant role in alleviating osteoporosis in rats induced by OVX. This encouraged a potential approach of IGF-1 gene therapy to the treatment of osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
authors.forename: Hai Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hong Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gang Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.forename: Yun Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010957:Plasmids; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; C548904:insulin-like growth factor-1, rat; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase