Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2009) 30: 70-77; doi: 10.1038/aps.2008.10;  published online 15th December 2008

Assessment of myocardial blood perfusion improved by CD151 in a pig myocardial infarction model

Hou-juan ZUO, Zheng-xiang LIU*, Xiao-chun LIU, Jun YANG, Tao LIU, Sha WEN, Dao-wen WANG, Xin ZHANG

Department of Cardiology of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China

Aim: To appraise the efficacy of CD151-induced myocardial therapeutic angiogenesis in a pig myocardial infarction model. 

Methods: CD151 and anti-CD151 were constructed into the recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector.  All 26 pigs were subjected to coronary artery ligation or no surgery.  Eight weeks after coronary artery ligation, the expression of CD151 was measured by Western blot and immunostaining.  Capillary density was evaluated using immunostaining for von Willebrand factor (vWF).  ¹³N-labeled NH³ positron emission computed tomography ([¹³N]NH₃ PET) was measured to assess regional myocardial perfusion and the defect area. 

Results: CD151 gene delivery could increase the expression of CD151 at protein level.  Over-expression of CD151 increased the density of total capillaries in the ischemic myocardium, significantly improved the blood perfusion and reduced the defect area percentage.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the rAAV-mediated CD151 gene delivery promoted efficient neovascularization and increased the blood perfusion after myocardial infarction in pigs.

Keywords: gene therapy; CD151; neovascularization; emission-computed; NH₃