BackgroundImpaired wound healing in diabetes is related to decreased production of growth factors. Hence, gene therapy is considered as promising treatment modality. So far, efforts concentrated on single gene therapy with particular emphasis on vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). However, as multiple proteins are involved in this process it is rational to test new approaches. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether single AAV vector-mediated simultaneous transfer of VEGF-A and fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) coding sequences will improve the wound healing over the effect of VEGF-A in diabetic (db/db) mice.MethodsLeptin receptor-deficient db/db mice were randomized to receive intradermal injections of PBS or AAVs carrying β-galactosidase gene (AAV-LacZ), VEGF-A (AAV-VEGF-A), FGF-4 (AAV-FGF4-IRES-GFP) or both therapeutic genes (AAV-FGF4-IRES-VEGF-A). Wound healing kinetics was analyzed until day 21 when all animals were sacrificed for biochemical and histological examination.ResultsComplete wound closure in animals treated with AAV-VEGF-A was achieved earlier (day 19) than in control mice or animals injected with AAV harboring FGF4 (both on day 21). However, the fastest healing was observed in mice injected with bicistronic AAV-FGF4-IRES-VEGF-A vector (day 17). This was paralleled by significantly increased granulation tissue formation, vascularity and dermal matrix deposition. Mechanistically, as shown in vitro, FGF4 stimulated matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and VEGF receptor-1 expression in mouse dermal fibroblasts and when delivered in combination with VEGF-A, enhanced their migration.ConclusionCombined gene transfer of VEGF-A and FGF4 can improve reparative processes in the wounded skin of diabetic mice better than single agent treatment.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an antioxidative and cytoprotective enzyme, which may protect neoplastic cells against anticancer therapies, thereby promoting the progression of growing tumors. Our aim was to investigate the role of HO-1 in cancer induction. Experiments were performed in HO-1+/+, HO-1+/−, and HO-1−/− mice subjected to chemical induction of squamous cell carcinoma with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Measurements of cytoprotective genes in the livers evidenced systemic oxidative stress in the mice of all the HO-1 genotypes. Carcinogen-induced lesions appeared earlier in HO-1−/− and HO-1+/− than in wild-type animals. They also contained much higher concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor and keratinocyte chemoattractant, but lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-12. Furthermore, tumors grew much larger in HO-1 knockouts than in the other groups, which was accompanied by an increased rate of animal mortality. However, pathomorphological analysis indicated that HO-1−/− lesions were mainly large but benign papillomas. In contrast, in mice expressing HO-1, most lesions displayed dysplastic features and developed to invasive carcinoma. Thus, HO-1 may protect healthy tissues against carcinogen-induced injury, but in already growing tumors it seems to favor their progression toward more malignant forms.

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This study characterized female mice with a congenital defect in their reproductive tract. In females derived from an outbred colony maintained in the Department of Genetics and Evolution, the frequency of the imperforated vaginae was approximately 2%. A consequence of this defect is infertility. Affected animals developed hydrometrocolpos (the uterus and vagina were greatly distended by fluid). Morphology of the ovary and oviduct was normal and similar to that of control mice. In the females with an imperforated vagina numerous corpora lutea were observed. Accordingly, we have found that both spontaneous as well as exogenous gonadotrophin-induced ovulation occurs in such females. Nevertheless, oocytes derived from ovaries of occluded females exhibited a partial block during in vitro maturation. Histological analysis of ovarian tissue revealed an increase in the number of primary follicles (type I follicles) and a decrease in the number of secondary and antral follicles (type IV and type VI follicles) when compared with control mice. The concentration of androgens in the ovarian tissue was higher in the affected females. Our data show that females with an imperforated vagina can be a useful model for studying the mechanism of genetic control of the development of the urogenital tract in mammals.