Experimental studies of VEGF-C gene for the treatment of chronic obstructive lymphedema in mouse tail model / 中华整形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the therapeutic effect of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) gene for chronic obstructive lymphedema in mouse tail model which may provide a new treatment for lymphedema.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RT-PCR and immunoabsorption were applied to detect VEGF-C gene expression in fibroblasts and secretion of VEGF-C protein in COS7 cells respectively after pCDNA3.1 (+) VEGF-C transfection. A mouse tail model of chronic obstructive lymphedema was created. Then the pcDNA3.1-VEGF-C plasmid was injected into the tail. The effect of modulating lymphangiogenesis was observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with control group, overexpression of VEGF-C enhanced lymphangiogenesis in vivo and mouse tail skin suffering chronic obstructive lymphedema was improved by VEGF-C gene significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>VEGF-C can improve the lymphedema through enhancing lymphangiogenesis.</p>