Intramyocardial Injection Of Naked DNA Encoding BFGF To Induce Angiogenesis In Rabbits With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective: To investigate the effects of directly intramycardial injection Naked DNA encoding basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on promoting angiogenesis in a rabbit model of acute myocardial infarction and to evaluate the gene's expression in protein lever. Methods: The human bFGF cDNA was cloned into enkaryotic expression vector pcDNA3. 42 rabbits underwent left thoracotomy followed by the ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery. After model reproducing, the rabbits were randomized to receive a directly intramyocardial injection of either pcDNA3-bFGF 100μg (n=19) or pcDNA3 100μg (n=18). Animals were sacrificed 2, 6 or 12 weeks later, immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to study expression of bFGF gene at protein level, histologic analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of angiogenesis induced by gene therapy. Then calculate the ischemic size of both control and gene therapy group which were raised 2 weeks. Result: The Human bFGF cDNA was successfully cloned into pcDNA3. changes of electrocardiogram testify that the model of AMI is successful.immunohistochemistry analysis shows that bFGF gene can express in ischemic myocardiam in 6 weeks. Histologic analysis shows: there was a significant increase in the density of capillaries and arterioles in gene therapy group. The ischemic size of gene therapy group decreased significantly. No side-effect was found in the two groups. Conclusion: Directly intrarayocardial injection of bFGF gene can reduce the ischemic size and promote angiogenesis in ischemic myocardium. Suggesting that bFGF gene may have the possibility to become a new treatment strategy for coronary heart disease.