Adenovirus-mediated VEGF165 gene transfer enhances wound healing by promoting angiogenesis in CD1 diabetic mice

It has been previously shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a central role in promoting angiogenesis during wound repair and that healing-impaired diabetic mice show decreased VEGF expression levels. In order to investigate the potential benefits of gene therapy with growth factors on wound repair, a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus vector carrying the human VEGF165 gene (AdCMV.VEGF165) was topically applied on excisional wounds of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Treatment with AdCMV.VEGF165 significantly accelerated wound closure when compared with AdCMV.LacZ-treated, as well as saline-treated control mice, by promoting angiogenesis at the site of injury. Our findings suggest that AdCMV.VEGF165 may be regarded as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of diabetic ulcers.