NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Delivering the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene to skeletal muscle via electroporation improves heart function in a hamster model of dilated cardiomyopathy, Japanese researchers report.
While beta blockers can help half of heart failure patients, the remainder require a heart transplant to survive, Dr. Kazuo Komamura of the National Cardiovascular Research Center in Osaka told Reuters Health. Finding another drug to treat dilated cardiomyopathy is particularly important in Japan, where the heart is rarely donated, he noted.
HGF is known to have both angiogenic and antifibrotic action, suggesting its potential for treating heart failure, Dr. Komamura and colleagues write in the September issue of Hypertension. They used electroporation to transfer a plasmid vector encoding HGF into the tibialis anterior muscles of 12 hamsters with inherited dilated cardiomyopathy. An additional 12 animals received electroporation with an empty plasmid.
Animals treated with the gene had higher serum HGF levels than those given the placebo. Treatment also appeared to prevent the development of systolic dysfunction, and reverse left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. The treated hamsters also showed less hypertrophy and fibrosis and higher capillary density. Improvements were seen without an increase in blood pressure or heart rate.
While systemic administration of HGF would not be appropriate for adult patients because it carries the risk of carcinogenesis, as well as angiogenesis, it could be given systemically to young patients without cancer or diabetic retinopathy, Dr. Komamura told Reuters Health. In older patients, a special catheter with a transfection needle and microelectrodes could be developed to deliver the gene directly into the myocardium, he added.
Source: Hypertension 2004;44:365-371. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Animal Diseases: Biological Therapy: Disease Models, Animal: Genetic Engineering: Genetic Techniques: Investigative Techniques: Therapeutics: Gene Therapy: Hepatocyte Growth Factor: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: DiseasesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
