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    PET monitoring angiogenesis of infarcted myocardium after treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
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    Despite major advances in medical, catheter-based or surgical treatment, cardiovascular diseases such as peripheral artery disease and coronary artery disease still cause significant morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, many patients do not qualify for catheter-based treatment or bypass surgery because of advanced disease or surgical risk. There is therefore an urgent need for novel treatment strategies. Therapeutic angiogenesis aims to restore blood flow to ischaemic tissue by stimulating the growth of new blood vessels through the local delivery of angiogenic factors, and may thus be an attractive treatment alternative for these patients. Angiogenesis is a complex process and the growth of normal, stable and functional vasculature depends on the coordinated interplay of different cell types and growth factors. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF) is the fundamental regulator of vascular growth and the key target of therapeutic angiogenesis approaches. However, first-generation clinical trials of VEGF gene therapy have been disappointing, and a clear clinical benefit has yet to be established. In particular, VEGF delivery (a) appears to have a very limited therapeutic window in vivo: low doses are safe but mostly inefficient, whereas higher doses become rapidly unsafe; and (b) requires a sustained expression in vivo of at least about four weeks to achieve stable vessels that persist after cessation of the angiogenic stimulus. Here we will review the current understanding of how VEGF induces the growth of normal or pathological blood vessels, what limitations for the controlled induction of safe and efficient angiogenesis are intrinsically linked to the biological properties of VEGF, and how this knowledge can guide the design of more effective strategies for therapeutic angiogenesis.
    Therapeutic angiogenesis
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    Although angiogenetic therapy using recombinant growth factors holds much hope for the treatment of ischemic diseases, there are still unanswered questions including the method, doses or duration of therapeutic approach. We evaluated the angiogenetic effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on rat heart and gastrocnemius muscles when this was administered intramuscularly and compared them to those obtained from rats, which exercised daily.Both daily swimming exercise and intramuscular administration of VEGF increased angiogenesis in rat heart, even though exercise alone was the only one that increased angiogenesis quite significantly. The combined protocol (administration of growth factor and exercise) led to an increase of angiogenesis in cardiac muscles. In contrast, there was no effect on the lateral gastrocnemius muscle either by VEGF or exercise, whereas these together induced angiogenesis locally at the site of injection.
    Therapeutic angiogenesis
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    Objective— Therapeutic angiogenesis with cell transplantation represents a novel strategy for severe ischemic diseases. However, some patients have poor response to such conventional injection-based angiogenic cell therapy. Here, we investigated a therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sheet created by a novel magnetite tissue engineering technology for reparative angiogenesis. Methods and Results— Human MSCs incubated with magnetic nanoparticle-containing liposomes were cultured, and a magnet was placed on the reverse side. Magnetized MSCs formed multilayered cell sheets according to magnetic force. Nude mice were subjected to unilateral hind limb ischemia and separated into 3 groups. For the control group, saline was injected into ischemic tissue. In the MSC-injected group, mice received magnetized MSCs by conventional needle injections without sheet formula as a control cell group. In the MSC-sheet group, MSC sheet was layered onto the ischemic tissues before skin closure. Blood flow recovery and the extent of angiogenesis were assessed by a laser Doppler blood flowmetry and histological capillary density, respectively. The MSC-sheet group had a greater angiogenesis in ischemic tissues compared to the control and MSC-injected groups. The angiogenic and tissue-preserving effects of MSC sheets were attributable to an increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and reduced apoptosis in ischemic tissues. In cultured MSCs, magnetic labeling itself inhibited apoptosis via a catalase-like antioxidative mechanism. Conclusion— MSC sheet created by the novel magnetic nanoparticle-based tissue engineering technology would represent a new modality for therapeutic angiogenesis and tissue regeneration.
    Therapeutic angiogenesis
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    <b><i>Background:</i></b> Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is an essential process under physiological and pathological conditions. <b><i>Method:</i></b> Here, we improved the directed in vivo angiogenesis assay (DIVAA®) test, which is based on the usage of small Matrigel-filled tubes that are implanted into mice subcutaneously for a period of up to 15 days. The subsequent ex vivo assessment of neoangiogenesis within the silicon tubes is then achieved by fluorometry. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We showed that the immunohistochemical quantification of the ingrowth of endothelial cells, based on CD31, was superior to the fluorometric quantification advised in the manufacturer's instructions. We optimised the explantation procedure, ensuring the complete recovery of the ingrown vessels. Using this modified protocol, we investigated the effect of the length of stay of the implanted tubes as well as of the concentration of the growth factors VEGF and FGF on the assay. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Our improved protocol offered an effective and reliable alternative to the original assay, which is expected to facilitate in vivo research on angiogenesis and, thus, might drive the development of novel therapeutic agents.
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    Therapeutic angiogenesis using vascular endothelial growth factor can reduce tissue ischemia by simulating the natural process of angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor not only stimulates endothelial cells to proliferate and migrate, but also mobilizes endothelial progenitor cells and achieves vascular protection. Besides direct administration of angiogenic proteins, plasmids and viral vectors carrying angiogenic genes have been used. Animal experiments have shown promise with evidence of neovascularization and improved perfusion in the target myocardium. Initial phase I and II clinical trials results are encouraging and reflect the potential success of therapeutic angiogenesis as a clinical modality for the treatment of ischemic heart disease. This review discusses the role of vascular endothelial growth factor in therapeutic angiogenesis, along with the problems and considerations of this approach as a treatment strategy.
    Therapeutic angiogenesis