Hepatocyte Growth Factor Gene Therapy for Ischemic Diseases and Tissue Regeneration

Stem cells and gene therapy have become promising strategies for treating ischemia diseases and regenerating tissue. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is an angiogenic growth factor with multiple functions including promoting angiogenesis, regulating inflammation, inhibiting fibrosis and activating tissue regeneration. Numerous preclinical experiments and clinical trials have demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of HGF gene therapy in treatment of ischemia diseases and tissue regeneration. This review summarized the current advances of therapeutic angiogenesis using HGF gene transfer and modified stem cells. The physiological roles of HGF in angiogenesis and tissue regeneration were revisited. The current advances of clinical trials of plasmid and adenovirus HGF in treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in China were introduced. Furthermore, valuable insight was provided into prospective future of novel regenerative strategies using HGF modified mesenchymal stem cells...