NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Researchers who analyzed the role of fibroblast growth factor in aortic graft arteriosclerosis postulate that interruption of its function might someday be useful in patients undergoing heart and kidney transplants.
Dr. Barbara J. Ballermann of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and colleagues describe their experiments using a rat aortic transplant model, in the June issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology,
The authors explain that fibroblast growth factor1, and possibly also fibroblast growth factor 2, are involved in the development of accelerated graft arteriosclerosis after heart transplant.
They therefore sought to determine "whether local gene transfer of soluble fibroblast growth factor receptor-1, capable of binding both fibroblast growth factor 1 and fibroblast growth factor 2, could blunt the development of accelerated graft arteriosclerosis."
Indeed, the investigators found, neointima formation after aortic transplantation was inhibited in grafts transduced with soluble fibroblast growth factor receptor-1, but not in grafts transduced with a null virus.
"If these findings also hold in human studies, inhibition of fibroblast growth factor action either by use of soluble receptor ectodomain or by inhibition with specific receptor antagonists could potentially serve to prevent or ameliorate accelerated graft arteriosclerosis in human solid organ transplantation," the researchers conclude.
Source: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2004;24:1081-1086. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings: Biological Phenomena : Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity : Biological Sciences : Biology : Genetic Techniques : Genetics : Genetics, Microbial : Membrane Proteins : Microbiologic Phenomena : Investigative Techniques : Receptors, Cell Surface : Transfection : Fibroblast Growth Factor, Basic : Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor : Receptors, Growth Factor : Receptors, Peptide : Gene Transfer : Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment : Biological Sciences
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