Gene therapy to enhance condylar growth

Abstract

AIM: Craniofacial anomalies resulting from impaired growth of the mandibular condyles require multidisciplinary intervention, which imposes a substantial burden on patients and their families. Correcting such deformities with alternative strategy-gene therapy is still uncharted territory. The aim of this research was to enhance mandibular condylar growth using gene therapy specifi cally to establish an effective in vivo gene delivery system with recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). MATERIALS AND METHOD: In situ hybridization, RT-PCR, immunostaining and western blot, transgene expression were used to detect the presence of VEGF in the mandibular condyles of 90 Sprague Dawely rats throughout the experimental period. RESULTS: At defi ned time points specifi c osteogenetic markers (ALP and osteocalcin) and chongenetic markers (collagen type II and collagen type X) were assessed by means of biochemical techniques and their expression signifi cantly changed from day 30. Proliferation index by PCNA staining also showed a signifi cant increase in cell proliferation. Morphological measurement identifi ed that the size of mandibular condyle signifi cantly increased from day 30. CONCLUSION: rAAV-VEGF is an effi cient delivery system to induce mandibular condylar growth. This work provides the basis for future gene therapy to treat patients with craniofacial deformities.