Intramyocardial injection of vascular endothelial growth factor gene improves cardiac performance and inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis

Background: Previous studies suggest that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a regulator of naturally occurring angiogenesis. However, whether VEGF plays a role in cardiomyocyte apoptosis is not known. Aim: To investigate the effects of intramyocardial injection of VEGF165 cDNA on cardiac performance and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction. Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent left coronary artery ligation and were randomised to receive VEGF165 cDNA (treated group) or pcDNA3.1 (control), injected directly into the border zone of the ischaemic myocardium. Twenty rats underwent thoracotomy and injection of pcDNA3.1, without coronary ligation (sham group). Haemodynamic and apoptotic parameters were measured two weeks after injection. Results: Three sham, eight control, and five treated animals died. Haemodynamic parameters and microvessel counts in the treated group were significantly better than in the control (P