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  • Original Article - Enabling Technologies
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Original Article – Enabling Technologies

Use of ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction to transfect IGF-1 cDNA to enhance the regeneration of rat wounded Achilles tendon in vivo

Gene Therapy volume 22, pages 610–618 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether using ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) to transfect rat wounded Achilles tendon with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) cDNA would enhance tissue regeneration. Forty rats with injured Achilles tendons were transfected with IGF-1 cDNA and divided into: (1) control group, (2) plasmid-only group, (3) plasmid+ultrasound group and (4) plasmid+microbubbles+ultrasound group. The IGF-1 cDNA expression of the Achilles tendons was evaluated by histological adhesion finding, quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR examination and biomechanical test. The adhesion scores in group 4 were lowest at weeks 2 and 8 (P<0.05). The IGF-1 expression in the Achilles tendons was highest in group 4 at weeks 2 and 8 (P<0.05). Compared with those of other three groups, the granulation tissues and inflammatory-cell infiltration were lighter in group 4 at week 2, and the scars on the tendons in group 4 were less evident at week 8. The messenger RNA (mRNA) of IGF-1 of group 4 was upregulated at weeks 2 and 8 (P<0.01). Groups 4 and 3 showed a greater maximum load, stiffness and ultimate stress (P<0.05). Maximum load, stiffness and ultimate stress of healing Achilles tendons in group 4 were highest at weeks 2 and 8 (P<0.05).

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (81271585).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Y Tang, Q Leng, X Xiang, L Zhang, Y Yang & L Qiu

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  1. Y Tang
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  2. Q Leng
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  3. X Xiang
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  4. L Zhang
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  5. Y Yang
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  6. L Qiu
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Correspondence to L Qiu.

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Tang, Y., Leng, Q., Xiang, X. et al. Use of ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction to transfect IGF-1 cDNA to enhance the regeneration of rat wounded Achilles tendon in vivo. Gene Ther 22, 610–618 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/gt.2015.32

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