Open AccessAdenovirus-mediated VEGF165 gene transfer enhances wound healing by promoting angiogenesis in CD1 diabetic mice
Author(s) -
Simona Romano Di Peppe,
Antonella Mangoni,
Giovanna Zambruno,
Gaia Spinetti,
G Melillo,
Monica Napolitano,
Maurizio C. Capogrossi
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
gene therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.332
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1476-5462
pISSN - 0969-7128
DOI - 10.1038/sj.gt.3301798
Subject(s) - angiogenesis , wound healing , genetic enhancement , vascular endothelial growth factor , streptozotocin , neovascularization , cancer research , biology , immunology , pharmacology , medicine , diabetes mellitus , vegf receptors , gene , endocrinology , biochemistry
It has been previously shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in promoting angiogenesis during wound repair and that healing-impaired diabetic mice show decreased VEGF expression levels. In order to investigate the potential benefits of gene therapy with growth factors on wound repair, a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus vector carrying the human VEGF(165) gene (AdCMV.VEGF(165)) was topically applied on excisional wounds of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Treatment with AdCMV.VEGF(165) significantly accelerated wound closure when compared with AdCMV.LacZ-treated, as well as saline-treated control mice, by promoting angiogenesis at the site of injury. Our findings suggest that AdCMV.VEGF(165) may be regarded as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of diabetic ulcers.