ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of in vivo CD151 gene transfer on angiogenesis and heart function in rats with myocardial infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was induced in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. The surviving rats randomly received myocardial injection of saline (MI control), pAAV-CD151 and pAAV-GFP (n = 12/group). Sham-operated rats without myocardial injection (n = 12) were taken as normal control. Four weeks later, heart function and the expression of CD151 were measured. Micro vessels density (MVD) in infarct myocardium was observed by factor VIII related antigen immunochemical staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of CD151 (1.98 +/- 0.23 vs. 0.91 +/- 0.09, P < 0.01) and MVD counting [(385.4 +/- 79.9) vs. (252.5 +/- 43.0) n/mm(2), P < 0.01] in pAAV-CD151 treated MI rats were significantly higher than that in MI control group, similarly, EF (64.0 +/- 8.7)% vs. (41.5 +/- 5.0)%, P < 0.01] and dp/dt(max) (6620.2 +/- 884.6 vs. 5545.5 +/- 693.0, P < 0.01) were also significantly increased post pAAV-CD151 treatment. These parameters were not affected by pAAV-GFP treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CD151 in vivo gene transfer for rats with acute myocardial infarction enhanced myocardial angiogenesis and improved left ventricular function.</p>