Effects of liposome-mediated gene transfer of VEGF in ischemic rat gracilis muscle

The purpose of the current study was to determine the effects of vascular e ndothelial growth factor (VEGF) on muscle flap survival and vascularity in a rat gracilis ischemia-reperfusion model. A total of 12 adult male Wistar rats were divided into two groups (n = 6). The experimental group received the plasmid encoding VEGF(165) cDNA plus lipofectamine (cationic liposome) injected directly to the gracilis muscle following 4 h of ischemia. The con trol group received lipofectamine only. The viability and vascularity of th e flaps were evaluated after 7 days of reperfusion. The data demonstrated t hat the VEGF plasmid- and lipofectamine-treated muscle flaps had significan tly greater total survival and capillary count 7 days after reperfusion com pared with the flaps treated only with lipofectamine. These results indicat e that VEGF exerts a protective effect on ischemic skeletal muscle flaps. ( C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.