Angiogenic effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected with human VEGF gene on myocardial infarcts in rats

Objective To evaluate the angiogenic effect of the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transfected with human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF_ 165 ) gene on myocardial infarcts in rats. Methods The animal model of heart ischemic was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery in Wistar rats. The ligated rats were divided into 4 groups (n=12 each), and 2 weeks later they were injected hVEGF-transfected MSC at the heart infarct zone (Group A), MSC (Group B), liposome-hVEGF gene plasmid (Group C), and medium (Group D). Four weeks after the injection, the capillary density of the infracted zone and the expression of human VEGF in vivo were examined. Results Four weeks after the transplantation, the capillary density was significantly greater in Group A than that in Group B and Group D, slightly greater than that in Group C. The highest expression of hVEGF was Group A, and followed by Group C, Group B, and Group D. Conclusion MSC is helpful for the stable expression of hVEGF gene, and is an ideal cellular vehicle for VEGF genes.