Construction and identification of recombinant adenovirus vector containing the hVEGF165 gene

Summary To construct the recombinant adenovirus vector containing the cDNA for human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF₁₆₅), the cDNA for hVEGF₁₆₅ was subcloned into pACCMV · pLpA. Subsequently, this recombinant pACCMV · hVEGF was co-transfected into 293 cells together with pJM17 to obtain the replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus containing hVEGF gene — Ad-CMV · hVEGF. The VEGF gene expression was detected by using RT-PCR and Western blot in rabbit aorta vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) infected with AdCMV · hVEGF. Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were incubated with the conditioned medium (CM) from above mentioned VSMC infected with AdCMV · hVEGF to observe the effect of VEGF on proliferation of HUVEC. 48 h after the infection with AdCMV · hVEGF, VSMC demonstrated VEGF expression, and the expressed VEGF could stimulate the proliferation of HUVECin vitro. Successfully prepared AdCMV · hVEGF₁₆₅ could express biologically active VEGF in infected VSMC, and stimulate proliferation of HUVEC.