Transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected by vascular endothelial growth factor gene promotes foot wound healing in diabetic rats / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Diabetic foot ulcers threaten the patients’ health and even survival seriously. It is an international difficult problem and lacks an effective treatment. But gene therapy and stem celltherapy possess special advantages and potential in wound healing. OBJECTIVE:To assess the therapeutic effect of transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected by human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (hVEGF165) gene on foot wound healing in diabetic rats. METHODS:Recombinant adenovirus was established in vitro which expressed hVEGF165 gene and transfected into the third generation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Total y 120 male Wistar rats were divided into five groupsgroup A (non-diabetic controls), group B (diabetic controls), group C (Ad-hVEGF165 therapy), group D (stem celltherapy) and group E (transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected by Ad-hVEGF165 gene). Rats in the latter four groups were intraperitoneal y injected with streptozotocin to induce diabetic models. In al rats, a 3 mm×7 mm rectangular ful-thickness skin sample was cut from the instep of the hind foot to make a model of foot wound. The rats were subcutaneously injected at equidistant six points 5 mm distal to the wound edge on the dorsum of the foot50μL PBS per point for group A, 50μL adenovirus suspension (1×1013 pfu/L) per point for group C, 50μL stem cellsuspension (1×1010/L) per point for group D, and 50μL adenovirus suspension+50μL stem cellsuspension per point for group E. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After injection, the rate of wound healing, the expression of VEGF and the qualities of capil aries in group E were higher when compared with groups B, C, D (P<0.05), but were lower than those in group A (P<0.05). Transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected by hVEGF165 gene can promote foot wound healing, angiogenesis and expression of VEGF in diabetic rats.