Journal of Chest Surgery

The Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (대한심장혈관흉부외과학회)
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Therapeutic Angiogenesis by Intramyocardial Injection of pCK-VEGF165 in Pigs

돼지에서 pCK-VEGF165의 심근내 주입에 의한 치료적 혈관조성

  • Choi Jae-Sung (Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital) ;
  • Han Woong (ViroMed Limitted) ;
  • Kim Dong Sik (ViroMed Limitted) ;
  • Park Jin Sik (Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital) ;
  • Lee Jong Jin (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital) ;
  • Lee Dong Soo (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital) ;
  • Kim Ki-Bong (Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital)
  • Published : 2005.05.01
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Abstract

Background: Gene therapy is a new and promising option for the treatment of severe myocardial ischemia by therapeutic angiogenesis. The goal of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of therapeutic angiogenesis by using VEGF165 in large animals. Material and Method: Twenty-one pigs that underwent ligation of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF (VEGF) or intramyocardial injection of pCK-Null (Control). Injections were administered 30 days after ligation. Seven pigs died during the trial, but eight pigs from VEGF and six from Control survived. Echo-cardiography was performed on day 0 (preoperative) and on days 30 and 60 following coronary ligation. Gated myocardial single photon emission computed tomography imaging (SPECT) with $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi was performed on days 30 and 60. Myocardial perfusion was assessed from the uptake of $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi at rest. Global and regional myocardial function as well as post-infarction left ventricular remodeling were assessed from segmental wall thickening; left ventricular ejection fraction (EF); end systolic volume (ESV); and end diastolic volume (EDV) using gated SPECT and echocardiography. Myocardium of the ischemic border zone into which pCK plasmid vector had been injected was also sampled to assess micro-capillary density. Result: Micro-capillary density was significantly higher in the VEGF than in Control ($386\pm110/mm^{2}\;vs.\;291\pm127/mm^{2};\;p<0.001$). Segmental perfusion increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 after intramyocardial injection of plasmid vector in VEGF ($48.4\pm15.2\%\;vs.\;53.8\pm19.6\%;\;p<0.001$), while no significant change was observed in the Control ($45.1\pm17.0\%\;vs.\;43.4\pm17.7\%;\;p=0.186$). This resulted in a significant difference in the percentage changes between the two groups ($11.4\pm27.0\%\;increase\;vs.\;2.7\pm19.0\%\;decrease;\;p=0.003$). Segmental wall thickening increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 in both groups; the increments did not differ between groups. ESV measured using echocardiography increased significantly from day 0 to day 30 in VEGF ($22.9\pm9.9\;mL\;vs.\;32.3\pm9.1\;mL;\; p=0.006$) and in Control ($26.3\pm12.0\;mL\;vs.\;36.8\pm9.7\;mL;\;p=0.046$). EF decreased significantly in VEGF ($52.0\pm7.7\%\;vs.\;46.5\pm7.4\%;\;p=0.004$) and in Control ($48.2\pm9.2\%\;vs.\;41.6\pm10.0\%;\;p=0.028$). There was no significant change in EDV. The interval changes (days $30\~60$) of EF, ESV, and EDV did not differ significantly between groups both by gated SPECT and by echocardiography. Conclusion: Intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF165 induced therapeutic angiogenesis and improved myocardial perfusion. However, post-infarction remodeling and global myocardial function were not improved.

배경: 유전자 치료에 의한 치료적 혈관조성은 허혈성 심질환의 새로운 치료전략의 하나로 최근 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다. 본 연구의 목적은 대동물에서 pCK 플라스미드 벡터에 혈관내피성장인자(vascular endothelial growth factor isoform 165: VEGF165) 유전자를 삽입한 pCK-VEGF를 이용한 치료적 혈관조성의 효용성을 증명하는 것이다. 대상 및 방법: 총 21 마리의 돼지를 이용하여 좌전하행지동맥의 원위부를 결찰하여 심근경색 모델을 만든 후, 4주 후에 VEGF 유전자를 삽입한 플라스미드를 심근내에 주입하거나(VEGF군), 유전자 없이 플라스미드 만을 주입하였다(대조군). 실험 대상 동물군을 맹검하에 무작위로 VEGF군 및 대조군으로 나누어 실험을 진행하였는데, 7마리는 실험 도중 사망하였으며 결과적으로 VEGF군은 8마리, 대조군은 6마리가 최종분석에 이용되었다. 좌전하행지동맥 결찰 후 30일째에 심근 SPECT와 심장초음파검사를 시행하고 심근내에 플라스미드를 주입하였으며, 이로부터 30일째에 심근 SPECT와 심장초음파검사를 다시 시행하였다. 허혈부위의 심근관류의 변화는 심근 SPECT상의 $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$의 섭취 정도로 비교하였으며, 국소 및 전체 심근기능 및 심실리모델링 등은 심장초음파 또는 게이트SPECT 검사상의 수축시 심실벽비후화, 좌심실구출률(EF), 수축기말용적(ESV), 이완기말용적(EDV) 등으로 비교하였다. 혈관조성의 정도는 조직검사상의 미세혈관의 밀도를 측정하여 비교하였다. 결과: 미세혈관의 밀도는 VEGF군에서 유의하게 더 높았으며($386\pm110/mm^{2}\;vs.\;291\pm127/mm^{2},\;p<0.001$), 분절의 관류 정도도 VEGF군에서는 관상동맥 결찰 60일째가 30일째에 비해 더 증가한 반면(플라스미드 주입 전, 후, $48.4\pm15.2\%\;vs.\;53.8\pm19.6\%,\;p<0.001$) 대조군에서는 유의한 변화가 없었고(플라스미드 주입 전, 후, $45.1\pm17.0\%\;vs.\;43.4\pm17.7\%,\;p=0.186$), 그 변화량도 두 군간에 유의한 차이를 보였다($11.4\pm27.0\%$ 증가 vs $2.7\pm19.0\%$ 감소, p=0.003). 수축시의 심실벽비후화는 양 군 모두에서 플라스미드 주입 후 유의하게 증가하였으나 증가한 정도는 두 군간에 차이가 없었다. 심장초음파검사상 ESV은 양 군 모두에서 수술 전에 비해 관상동맥 결찰 후 유의하게 증가하였고 (VEGF군, $22.9\pm9.9\;mL\;vs.\;32.3\pm9.1\;mL,\;p=0.006;$ 대조군, $26.3\pm12.0\;mL\;vs.\;36.8\pm9.7\;mL,\;p=0.046$), EF은 유의하게 감소하였으며(VEGF군, $52.0\pm7.9\%\;vs\;46.5\pm7.4\%$, p=0.004; 대조군, $48.2\pm9.2\%\;vs\;41.6\pm10.0\%$, p=0.028), EDV은 양 군 모두에서 유의한 변화가 없었다. 플라스미드 주입 전과 후의 비교에서는 양 군 모두에서 심장초음파 및 게이트 SPECT검사상의 EF, ESV, EDV 값의 유의한 차이가 없었다. 결론: VEGF165 유전자를 삽입한 플라스미드의 심근내 주입 후 허혈성 생존 심근 부위에 혈관조성이 일어나고 심근관류가 유의하게 증가하였다. 그러나 심근 기능이나 좌심실의 리모델링 경과엔 유의한 차이가 없었다.

Keywords

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