Intracoronary gene transfer of fibroblast growth factor-5 increases blood flow and contractile function in an ischemic region of the heart

• Published in: Nature medicine Vol. 2; no. 5; p. 534
• Main Authors: Giordano, F J, Ping, P, McKirnan, M D, Nozaki, S, DeMaria, A N, Dillmann, W H, Mathieu-Costello, O, Hammond, H K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.05.1996
• Subjects: Adenoviruses, Human - genetics; Animals; Base Sequence; Coronary Vessels - drug effects; Disease Models, Animal; Fibroblast Growth Factor 5; Fibroblast Growth Factors - genetics; Fibroblast Growth Factors - therapeutic use; Gene Expression; Genetic Therapy - methods; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Myocardial Contraction - drug effects; Myocardial Ischemia - therapy; Neovascularization, Physiologic - drug effects; Regional Blood Flow - drug effects; Swine
• ISSN: 1078-8956; 1546-170X
• DOI: 10.1038/nm0596-534

Increased coronary blood vessel development could potentially benefit patients with ischemic heart disease. In a model of stress-induced myocardial ischemia, intracoronary injection of a recombinant adenovirus expressing human fibroblast growth factor-5 (FGF-5) resulted in messenger RNA and protein expression of the transferred gene. Two weeks after gene transfer, regional abnormalities in stress-induced function and blood flow were improved, effects that persisted for 12 weeks. Improved blood flow and function were associated with evidence of angiogenesis. This report documents, for the first time, successful amelioration of abnormalities in myocardial blood flow and function following in vivo gene transfer.