Application of gene therapy in the treatment of superficial digital flexor tendon injury in horses

Background: Tendon injuries are one of the most common causes of orthopedic disorders in horses. Such injuries involve a long course of  treatment and recovery. The most promising method of treating these injuries is the use of recombinant proteins and gene therapy. Aim: In this work, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of plasmid DNA (pDNA) containing two species-specific coding sequences, i.e. vascular endothelial growth factor 164 (VEGF164) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), in the treatment of severe damage to the tendon of the superficial digital flexor. Methods: A pDNA construct was used to restore the damaged superficial digital flexor tendon in the horse. Results: This study showed that the administration of pDNA encoding VEGF164 and FGF2 genes at the injury area increased the regenerative activities of the damaged tendon. Conclusion: This study shows the therapeutic properties of genetic constructs (pDNA) and contributes to theadvancements in the use of these therapies. Keywords: Fibroblast growth factor 2, Plasmid DNA, Superficial digital flexor, Vascular endothelial growth factor.