title: Prospect of ultrasound-mediated gene delivery in cardiovascular applications.
abstract: The field of regenerative medicine has evolved over the years, investigating gene and stem/progenitor cell therapies to help address the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While the lack of success of gene therapy in clinical trials has dampened enthusiasm, the search continues for a successful and translatable gene therapy strategy for CVD. Ultrasound-mediated gene delivery (UMGD) is a non-invasive technique for gene delivery that utilizes gene-bearing carrier microbubbles and high power ultrasound to facilitate transfection in vivo. Many pre-clinical studies have shown benefit in animal models of CVD, but this has yet to be translated to human applications.
  
  
  
  In this review, the basic principles of UMGD will be examined along with an overview of pre-clinical studies to date in CVD, focusing on cardiac and vascular applications and key findings. In addition, the potential path to the clinical translation of UMGD is discussed.
  
  
  
  Ultrasound-mediated gene delivery holds promise as a non-invasive technique for gene delivery in CVD, with the ability to deliver multiple genes with repeated deliveries over time. If the substantial hurdles to clinical translation can be overcome, UMGD may prove to be a key aspect in the success of cardiovascular gene therapy in the future.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Cardiology, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute , St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Hao H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: a Division of Cardiology, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute , St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Pratiek N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Matkar
authors.affiliation: a Division of Cardiology, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute , St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Kolsoom
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Afrasiabi
authors.affiliation: a Division of Cardiology, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute , St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kuliszewski
authors.affiliation: a Division of Cardiology, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute , St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leong-Poi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques / Q000639:trends; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D045423:Microbubbles; D014162:Transfection; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
keywords: Gene therapy; angiogenesis; microbubble; ultrasound; ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction