[Gene therapy for arteriosclerotic diseases]

Abstract

Recent progress in molecular biology gives us gene therapy, as a new strategy for treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Targeted diseases have been wide-spread from single gene-deficient diseases to more complexed adult diseases such as restenosis after angioplasty and ischemic diseases. Clinical gene therapy for restenosis and angina using VEGF gene have already performed in USA and they can show beneficial effects of such strategies. On the other hand, we have just started a clinical trial using E2F decoy for restenosis after PTA or PTCA, since April 2000. E2F decoy is expected to become a new treatment for restenosis as a gene therapy. Also, the feasibility of a novel therapeutic strategy using angiogenic growth factors such as VEGF to augment collateral artery development has recently entered the realm of treatment of ischemic diseases. We focus on HGF, which is a novel endothelial growth factor. HGF-based therapeutic angiogenesis would possibly result a new treatment for severe ischemic diseases.