INTRACORONARY GENE-TRANSFER OF FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR-5 INCREASES BLOOD-FLOW AND CONTRACTILE FUNCTION IN AN ISCHEMIC REGION OF THE HEART

Increased coronary blood vessel development could potentially benefit patients with ischemic heart disease. In a model of stress-induced myo cardial ischemia, intracoronary injection of a recombinant adenovirus expressing human fibroblast growth factor-5 (FGF-5) resulted in messen ger RNA and protein expression of the transferred gene. Two weeks afte r gene transfer, regional abnormalities in stress-induced function and blood flow were improved, effects that persisted for 12 weeks. Improv ed blood flow and function were associated with evidence of angiogenes is. This report documents, for the first time, successful amelioration of abnormalities in myocardial blood flow and function following in v ivo gene transfer.