共聚物P85和微泡造影剂对小鼠骨骼肌超声介导基因转染的影响

目的 探讨共聚物P85、微泡造影剂和超声在质粒DNA对小鼠骨骼肌基因转染中的影响.方法 应用共聚物P85、微泡造影剂Optison与DNA混合后直接小鼠胫前肌(TA)注射,并辐照超声.1周后取出胫前肌并快速冰冻切片,荧光显微镜计数表达GFP转染的肌纤维数,HE染色评价肌肉损伤情况.结果 共聚物P85和微泡造影剂Optison均可促进质粒DNA的基因转染(P<0.01,P<0.05).辐照超声可使P85介导的基因转染效率显著提高(P<0.01),但对微泡造影剂介导的基因转染却无显著提高(P>0.05),并且P85所介导的基因转染效率高于微泡造影剂介导的基因转染效率(P<0.01).微泡造影剂和P85耦合并辐照超声可使质粒的基因转染效率显著提高,与所有各组的差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).同时辐照超声显著增加含微泡造影剂组骨骼肌的损伤面积(P<0.01).结论 共聚物P85和微泡造影剂可介导质粒DNA的基因转染,辐照超声对其有促进作用,三者联合应用具有协同作用.     

几种共聚物对小鼠骨骼肌超声介导基因转染表达的影响

目的 探讨超声和共聚物在质粒DNA对小鼠骨骼肌基因转染中的影响.方法 应用三种水溶性不同的共聚物F127,L61和P85,与DNA混合后直接小鼠胫前肌注射,并超声辐照.超声频率为1 MHz,脉冲重复频率100 Hz,占空系数为20%,用3 W/cm2声强辐照1 min.实验1周后取出胫前肌并快速冰冻切片,荧光显微镜计数表达GFP的转染肌纤维数,苏木精和伊红染色评价肌肉损伤情况.结果 三种共聚物均可显著提高质粒DNA的基因转染(P＜0.01),P85的基因转染效率高于其他两种共聚物(P＜0.05).超声虽对单纯质粒、F127和L61组的基因转染无显著促进作用,但与P85有协同作用,可显著提高P85组的基因转染效率(P＜0.01).在给定超声剂量和共聚物浓度下,二者在提高质粒DNA基因转染的同时,并不显著增加对组织的损伤作用.结论 共聚物P85不但可显著提高质粒DNA在小鼠骨骼肌的基因转染,且与超声具有协同作用.     

超声微泡造影剂介导小鼠骨骼肌基因转染实验研究

目的探讨微泡造影剂在超声作用下是否可增加小鼠骨骼肌基因转染效率.方法 40只昆明小鼠随机分为4组,每组10只,第一组:在胫前肌注射造影剂与绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)质粒的混合溶液;第二组:注射与第一组相同的混合溶液后立即加超声辐照;第三组:注射GFP;第四组:在注射GFP后立即用超声辐照.7天后取小鼠胫前肌观察绿色荧光蛋白的表达情况.结果第一组与第二组有较多GFP表达,部分肌纤维绿色荧光较明亮,部分较暗淡;第三组和第四组GFP表达量较少.第一组与其余各组间的差异有显著性意义,P＜0.05;第二组与其余各组间的差异有显著性意义,P＜0.05;第三组与第四组间的差异无显著性意义,P＞0.05.结论超声微泡造影剂在超声作用下可明显增强小鼠骨骼肌的基因转染效率;未加超声波作用时,直接肌注携基因的超声微泡造影剂亦可增加小鼠骨骼肌的基因转染效率.     

Electropermeabilization of skeletal muscle enhances gene transfer in vivo.

This work demonstrates that electrical muscle stimulation markedly increases the transfection efficiency of an intramuscular injection of plasmid DNA. In soleus or extensor digitorum longus muscles of adult rats the percentage of transfected fibers increased from about 1 to more than 10. The number of transfected fibers and the amount of foreign protein produced could be graded by varying the number or duration of the electrical pulses applied to the muscle. The stimulation had to be applied when DNA was present in the muscle. When dextran was injected together with the plasmid DNA, it was also taken up by the transfected fibers. Stimulation-induced membrane permeabilization and increased DNA uptake were therefore probably responsible for the improved transfection. The stimulation caused some muscle damage but the fibers regenerated rapidly. The described method, which is simple, efficient, and reproducible, should become valuable for basic research, gene therapy and DNA vaccination.     

Optimisation of electrotransfer of plasmid into skeletal muscle by pretreatment with hyaluronidase -- increased expression with reduced muscle damage

The efficiency of plasmid gene transfer to skeletal muscle can be significantly improved by the application of an electrical field to the muscle following injection of plasmid DNA. However, this electrotransfer is associated with significant muscle damage which may result in substantial loss of transfected muscle fibres. Reduction of the voltage used in the technique can result in a decrease in muscle damage, with a concomitant reduction in expression, but without a significant decrease in the number of transfected fibres. Pre-treatment of the muscle with a solution of bovine hyaluronidase greatly increases the efficiency of plasmid gene transfer when used in conjunction with electrotransfer, but not when used alone. This combination treatment results in greatly enhanced levels of transfected muscle fibres without the increases in muscle damage associated with the electrotransfer process.     

Truncated vesicular stomatitis virus G protein improves baculovirus transduction efficiency in vitro and in vivo

Pseudotyping of viral vectors has been widely used to enhance viral transduction efficiency. One of the most popular pseudotyping proteins has been the G-protein of the vesicular stomatitis virus, VSV-G. In the present study, we show that the 21-amino-acid ectodomain with transmembrane and cytoplasmic tail domains of VSV-G (VSV-GED) augments baculovirus-mediated gene delivery in vertebrate cells by aiding viral entry. The VSV-GED pseudotyped virus replicated efficiently in insect cells yielding high titers. Five out of six studied cell lines showed improved transduction, as measured by a number of transduced cells or transgene expression level. Nearly 15-fold increase in the transduction efficiency was detected in rat malignant glioma cells as compared to the control virus. In the rat brain, transgene expression could be detected in the walls of lateral ventricles and in subarachnoid membranes. Increased transduction efficiency was also observed in the rabbit muscle. Our results suggest that VSV-GED enhances baculoviral gene transfer by augmenting gp64-mediated endosomal release. Moreover, no cytotoxicity was associated with improved gene transfer efficiency. Thus, VSV-GED pseudotyping provides a simple means to enhance baculovirus-mediated gene transfer in vitro and in vivo.     

Continuous therapeutic ultrasound accelerates repair of contraction-induced skeletal muscle damage in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of ultrasonography on the repair of muscle injured through repeated eccentric contractions. DESIGN: Randomized, case-control study. SETTING: Laboratory animal facility. ANIMALS: Thirty-three Sprague-Dawley rats. INTERVENTIONS: Specimens were anesthetized and each foot strapped, in turn, onto a motorized foot pedal, which moved the ankle repeatedly through a range of 110 degrees. Extensor digitorum longus muscles were injured by stimulating the peroneal nerve during foot plantarflexion. Continuous 1.0MHz ultrasound treatments at 0.5W/cm(2) were applied through water submersion technique to 1 limb daily for 3, 5, or 7 days postinjury. The contralateral limb served as an injured control. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Extensor digitorum longus maximum isometric tetanic force (P(o)) was measured in vitro from all extensor digitorum longus muscles and used as a functional index of muscle injury. RESULTS: Analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc analysis showed no significant differences in P(o) between treated and untreated limbs at 3 and 5 days, but at 7 days postinjury, P(o) of ultrasound-treated muscle was significantly higher than was untreated muscle. CONCLUSION: Seven days of continuous therapeutic ultrasound improved force production after contraction-induced muscle injury.     

Erythropoietin improves skeletal muscle microcirculation and tissue bioenergetics in a mouse sepsis model

Introduction

The relationship between oxygen delivery and consumption in sepsis is impaired, suggesting a microcirculatory perfusion defect. Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) regulates erythropoiesis and also exerts complex actions promoting the maintenance of homeostasis of the organism under stress. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that rHuEPO could improve skeletal muscle capillary perfusion and tissue oxygenation in sepsis.

Methods

Septic mice in three experiments received rHu-EPO 400 U/kg subcutaneously 18 hours after cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). The first experiment measured the acute effects of rHuEPO on hemodynamics, blood counts, and arterial lactate level. The next two sets of experiments used intravital microscopy to observe capillary perfusion and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) fluorescence post-CLP after treatment with rHuEPO every 10 minutes for 40 minutes and at 6 hours. Perfused capillary density during a three-minute observation period and NADH fluorescence were measured.

Results

rHuEPO did not have any effects on blood pressure, lactate level, or blood cell numbers. CLP mice demonstrated a 22% decrease in perfused capillary density compared to the sham group (28.5 versus 36.6 capillaries per millimeter; p < 0.001). Treatment of CLP mice with rHuEPO resulted in an immediate and significant increase in perfused capillaries in the CLP group at all time points compared to baseline from 28.5 to 33.6 capillaries per millimeter at 40 minutes; p < 0.001. A significant increase in baseline NADH, suggesting tissue hypoxia, was noted in the CLP mice compared to the sham group (48.3 versus 43.9 fluorescence units [FU]; p = 0.03) and improved with rHuEPO from 48.3 to 44.4 FU at 40 minutes (p = 0.02). Six hours after treatment with rHuEPO, CLP mice demonstrated a higher mean perfused capillary density (39.4 versus 31.7 capillaries per millimeter; p < 0.001) and a lower mean NADH fluorescence as compared to CLP+normal saline mice (49.4 versus 52.7 FU; p = 0.03).

Conclusion

rHuEPO produced an immediate increase in capillary perfusion and decrease in NADH fluorescence in skeletal muscle. Thus, it appears that rHuEPO improves tissue bioenergetics, which is sustained for at least six hours in this murine sepsis model.     

伴发心肌损害的骨骼肌疾病

骨骼肌疾病 (肌病 )系指骨骼肌由于遗传、代谢及炎症等因素所致的肌肉本身或神经肌肉接头间传递障碍所引起的一组慢性变性疾病 ,有时亦可累及心肌 ,表现出心肌受损的症状、体征[1] ,从而导致诊断失误。本文报告 2例以心肌损害为主的肌病 ,以期提高对这一临床表现的认识。1　病例资料【例 1】　男 ,2 9岁。因间断乏力 5年 ,阵发性晕厥 1年 ,晕厥频繁发作 1天 ,以“病毒性心肌炎待除外、陈旧性心肌梗死”收入院。无特殊家族史。查体 :血压 110 /70ｍｍＨｇ ,脉搏 70 /ｍｉｎ。颈静脉无怒张 ,双肺呼吸音清晰 ,未闻及干湿罗音 ,心界向左扩大 ,心…     

In vivo gene transfer in mouse skeletal muscle mediated by baculovirus vectors

Baculovirus vectors are efficient tools for gene transfer into mammalian cells in vitro. However, in vivo gene delivery by systemic administration is hindered by the vector inactivation mediated by the complement system. To characterize further the gene transfer efficacy of baculovirus we examined the vector transduction efficiency in skeletal muscle. Vectors expressing vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) in the viral envelope were generated by inserting the VSV-G coding sequence downstream of the polyhedrin promoter. Two viruses were constructed to carry either the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) gene or the mouse erythropoietin (EPO) cDNA cloned downstream of the cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter and enhancer. The greater gene transduction efficiency of the Bac-G-betaGal vector was confirmed by comparing the beta-Gal expression level in a variety of human and mouse cell lines with that obtained on infection with Bac-betaGal, a vector that lacks VSV-G. Similarly, a 5- to 10-fold increase in beta-Gal expression between Bac-G-betaGal and Bac-betaGal was observed when mouse myoblasts and myotubes were infected. The same increase in beta-Gal expression was detected on injection of the Bac-G-betaGal vector in the quadriceps of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, a 2-fold difference in transduction was observed between these two vectors in DBA/2J mouse strain. Last, expression of EPO cDNA was detected for at least 178 days in DBA/2J mice on Bac-G-EPO injection into the quadriceps whereas EPO expression declined to normal values by 35 days postinfection in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Thus, these results indicate that baculovirus may be considered a useful vector for gene transfer in mouse skeletal muscle and that persistence of expression may depend on the mouse strain used.     

Adipose tissue thickness affects in vivo quantitative near-IR spectroscopy in human skeletal muscle.

The influence of adipose tissue thickness (ATT) on near-IR spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements in vivo was studied in the human flexor digitorum superficialis muscle at rest and during sustained isometric handgrip exercise. NIRS was used for the quantitative measurement of muscle O(2) consumption (mV.O(2)) and forearm blood flow (FBF) in 78 healthy subjects. Skinfold thickness ranged from 1.4 to 8.9 mm within the group. Resting mV.O(2) was 0.11+/-0.04 ml of O(2).min(-1).100 g(-1), and FBF was 1.28+/-0.82 ml.min(-1).100 ml(-1). There was a negative correlation (r=-0.70, P< or =0.01), indicating a decrease in mV.O(2) with increasing ATT. mV.O(2) in the 10 leanest subjects appeared to be twice as high as that in the 10 subjects with the highest ATT. A poor correlation (r=0.29, P< or =0.01) was found between ATT and FBF. The gender difference that we found for mV.O(2) was due to the difference in ATT between female and male subjects. No correlation was found between maximum voluntary contraction and mV.O(2), nor between maximum voluntary contraction and ATT, indicating that the contraction force did not confound our results. These results show that ATT has a substantial confounding influence on in vivo NIRS measurements, and that it is essential to incorporate this factor into future NIRS muscle studies in order to justify comparisons between different groups. To facilitate such comparisons, upper and lower boundaries for normal values of mV.O(2) and FBF in relation to ATT are presented.     

Synthetic intron improves transduction efficiency of trans-splicing adeno-associated viral vectors

Trans-splicing adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors hold great promise in many gene therapy applications. We have shown that rational selection of the gene-splitting site in a therapeutic target gene can lead to extremely efficient trans-splicing vectors [Lai, Y., Yue, Y., Liu, M., Ghosh, A., Engelhardt, J.F., Chamberlain, J.S., and Duan, D. (2005). Nat. Biotechnol. 23, 1435-1439]. Our original strategy requires the screening of endogenous introns that are capable of overcoming the mRNA accumulation barrier. To further develop transsplicing vectors, we have tested whether the use of a generic synthetic intron can bypass the labor-intensive intron-screening process. Two previously characterized exon/intron/exon junctions (60/60/61 and 63/63/64, respectively) in the 6 kb minidystrophin gene were used as templates to represent highly efficient (60/60/61) and relatively poor (63/63/64) gene-splitting sites. We compared RNA production from the reconstituted viral genome and transduction efficiency of the trans-splicing vectors in dystrophin-null mdx mouse skeletal muscle. Our results suggest that a synthetic intron can successfully overcome the mRNA accumulation barrier at the exon 63/64 junction. Furthermore, when the gene was split at the exon 63/64 junction, the synthetic intronbased vectors performed better than the endogenous intron-based vectors. When the gene was split at the exon 60/61 junction, we observed only nominal improvement in mRNA production. Nevertheless, vectors based on the exon 60/61 junction remain the best set in transduction efficiency. Taken together, our results suggest that optimizing intron sequence may boost the transduction efficiency of trans-splicing AAV vectors.     

Development of safe and efficient novel nonviral gene transfer using ultrasound: enhancement of transfection efficiency of naked plasmid DNA in skeletal muscle

Although clinical trials of stimulation of angiogenesis by transfection of angiogenic growth factors using naked plasmid DNA or adenoviral vector have been successful, there are still unresolved problems for human gene therapy such as low transfection efficiency and safety. From this viewpoint, it is necessary to develop safe and efficient novel nonviral gene transfer methods. As therapeutic ultrasound induces cell membrane permeabilization, ultrasound irradiation might increase the transfection efficiency of naked plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle. Thus, we examined the transfection efficiency of naked plasmid DNA using ultrasound irradiation with echo contrast microbubble (Optison) in vitro and in vivo experiments. First, we examined the feasibility of ultrasound-mediated transfection of naked plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle cells. Luciferase plasmid mixed with or without Optison was transfected into cultured human skeletal muscle cells using ultrasound (1 MHz; 0.4 W(2)) for 30 s. Interestingly, luciferase activity was markedly increased in cells treated with Optison, while little luciferase activity could be detected without Optison (P < 0.01). Electron microscopy demonstrated the transient formation of holes (less than 5 microM) in the cell surface, which could possibly explain the rapid migration of the transgene into the cells. Next, we studied the in vivo transfection efficiency of naked plasmid DNA using ultrasound with Optison into skeletal muscle. Two days after transfection, luciferase activity in skeletal muscle transfected with Optison using ultrasound was significantly increased about 10-fold as compared with plasmid alone. Successful transfection was also confirmed by beta-galactosidase staining. Finally, we examined the feasibility of therapeutic angiogenesis using naked hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plasmid in a rabbit ischemia model using the ultrasound-Optison method. Five weeks after transfection, the angiographic score and the number of capillary density in rabbits transfected with Optison using ultrasound was significantly increased as compared with HGF plasmid alone (P < 0.01), accompanied by a significant increase in blood flow and blood pressure ratio (P < 0.01). Overall, the ultrasound transfection method with Optison enhanced the transfection efficiency of naked plasmid DNA in vivo as well as in vitro. Transfection of HGF plasmid by the ultrasound-Optison method could be useful for safe clinical gene therapy to treat peripheral arterial disease without a viral vector system.     

骨骼肌重塑中的钙调神经磷酸酶信号转导通路

背景:骨骼肌重塑是骨骼肌对多种刺激因素所产生的形态结构与代谢机能的适应性变化.近几年关于钙调神经磷酸酶(CaN )/(NFATS)在骨骼肌重塑中的作用备受关注.目的:探讨钙调神经磷酸酶在骨骼肌从无氧转向有氧的代谢重塑、肌纤维类型转化以及在骨骼肌肥大过程中的信号转导作用.方法:由第一作者用计算机检索ISI Web of knowledge 数据库(1998/2010),检索词为"calcineurin,skeletal muscle,hypertrophy,NFAT,myofiber type",语言设定为英文.从钙调神经磷酸酶信号系统在骨骼肌代谢、肌纤维类型转换和肌肉肥大中的作用方面进行总结,对其调节机制、肌肉重塑等方面进行介绍.结果与结论:共检索到186 篇文章,按纳入和排除标准对文献进行筛选,共纳入33 篇文章.结果表明CaN/NFATS 信号激活有助于Ⅰ型肌纤维分化,提高线粒体有氧代谢能力,但骨骼肌对耐力运动的适应并不绝对依赖CaN.CaN/NFATS 转导通路有可能通过转录激活utrophin A 来调控骨骼肌的肥大反应.由此可知钙调神经磷酸酶参与骨骼肌代谢、纤维转化和肥大的重塑过程,调节骨骼肌对刺激产生适应性应答反应.     

骨骼肌重塑中的钙调神经磷酸酶信号转导通路

背景：骨骼肌重塑是骨骼肌对多种刺激因素所产生的形态结构与代谢机能的适应性变化。近几年关于钙调神经磷酸酶（CaN）/（NFATS）在骨骼肌重塑中的作用备受关注。目的：探讨钙调神经磷酸酶在骨骼肌从无氧转向有氧的代谢重塑、肌纤维类型转化以及在骨骼肌肥大过程中的信号转导作用。方法：由第一作者用计算机检索ISI Web of knowledge数据库（1998/2010）,检索词为＂calcineurin,skeletal muscle,hypertrophy,NFAT,myofiber type＂,语言设定为英文。从钙调神经磷酸酶信号系统在骨骼肌代谢、肌纤维类型转换和肌肉肥大中的作用方面进行总结,对其调节机制、肌肉重塑等方面进行介绍。结果与结论：共检索到186篇文章,按纳入和排除标准对文献进行筛选,共纳入33篇文章。结果表明CaN/NFATS信号激活有助于Ⅰ型肌纤维分化,提高线粒体有氧代谢能力,但骨骼肌对耐力运动的适应并不绝对依赖CaN。CaN/NFATS转导通路有可能通过转录激活utrophin A来调控骨骼肌的肥大反应。由此可知钙调神经磷酸酶参与骨骼肌代谢、纤维转化和肥大的重塑过程,调节骨骼肌对刺激产生适应性应答反应。     

Ultrasonic tissue characterisation of skeletal muscle

Ultrasound techniques have been used for the non-invasive, quantitative characterisation of muscle tissue in normal subjects and volunteer patients. Radio frequency (RF) echoes from a volume of tissue have been digitised and analysed using computer techniques. Attention has been given to the correct positioning and orientation of the transducer during examination due to the importance of the angle dependence of the interaction of ultrasound with muscle fasciculi. Several different muscles in the leg, arm and back of normal subjects have been examined, whereas patient studies have concentrated on the vastus intermedius. Ultrasonic data from patients with muscular dystrophy have been correlated with measurements of muscle tissue density obtained using X-ray computerised tomography (X-ray CT). The technique shows that ultrasound can be used to differentiate between normal and diseased muscle quantitatively. Results indicate that pathological change can be detected and monitored earlier with ultrasound than with X-ray CT. These quantitative methods are now in use as a guide to the staging and monitoring of pathological change in muscle.     

运动诱导骨骼肌肥大的信号传导通路

归纳分析运动诱导骨骼肌生理性适应肥大机制,为训练计划设计提供指导性的建议.运动诱导骨骼肌生理性适应肥大机制涉及到多种信号传导途径:①雷帕霉素靶体蛋白(mTOR)信号传导通路刺激骨骼肌生长.②PI3K-mTOR在调节细胞和器官生长中扮演着重要的作用.③mTOR参与肌肉适应性生长的调节.④和肾上腺素能激动剂克伦特罗诱导的肌肉生长通过mTOR和其下游的目标蛋白.⑤mTOR通路参与抗阻力训练诱导肌肉肥大.大量关键蛋白分子和信号传导通路被发现和证实,其中Akt/mTOR信号通路,被认为在参与调节肌肉的生长,增加蛋白的合成方面起到重要的作用.改变运动方式,能够选择性的激活Akt和mTDR的上游的效应分子目前并不清楚,需进一步研究.     

Non-ionic amphiphilic biodegradable PEG-PLGA-PEG copolymer enhances gene delivery efficiency in rat skeletal muscle.

Naked plasmid DNA (pDNA)-based gene therapy has low delivery efficiency, and consequently, low therapeutic effect. We present a biodegradable nonionic triblock copolymer, PEG(13)-PLGA(10)-PEG(13), to enhance gene delivery efficiency in skeletal muscle. Effects of PEG(13)-PLGA(10)-PEG(13) on physicochemical properties of pDNA were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging, gel electrophoresis and zeta-potential analysis. AFM imaging suggested a slightly compacted structure of pDNA when it was mixed with the polymer, while zeta-potential measurement indicated an increased surface potential of negatively charged pDNA. PEG(13)-PLGA(10)-PEG(13) showed a relatively lower toxicity compared to Pluronic P85 in a skeletal muscle cell line. The luciferase expression of pDNA delivered in 0.25% polymer solution was up to three orders of magnitude more than branched polyethylenimine (bPEI(25 k))/pDNA and three times more than that of naked pDNA five days after intramuscular administration. This in vivo gene delivery enhancement was also observed displaying a two-fold higher expression of human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Based on fluorescence labeled pDNA distribution, it is speculated that the greater diffusivity of PEG(13)-PLGA(10)-PEG(13)/pDNA compared to bPEI(25 k)/pDNA accounts for better transfection efficiency in vivo. To summarize, combining PEG(13)-PLGA(10)-PEG(13) with pDNA possesses the potential to improve gene delivery efficiency in skeletal muscle.     

Nonthermal ultrasound and exercise in skeletal muscle regeneration

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether continuous nonthermal therapeutic ultrasound (US) and low-intensity exercise (Ex) influence skeletal muscle regeneration after a standardized contusion injury in an animal model. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with blinded comparisons in a 2 x 2 factorial (US by Ex) design. SETTING: Animal care facility and exercise physiology biochemistry laboratory. ANIMALS: Twenty male Wistar rats (age, 8 mo) received a reproducible bilateral contusion injury to the gastrocnemius muscles. Ten gastrocnemius muscles from 5 noninjured, nontreated rats provided baseline control data. INTERVENTIONS: US (continuous duty cycle, 3 MHz; intensity, 0.1 W/cm2 ; transducer, 1cm2 ; duration, 5 min/d; duty cycle, 100%) and exercise (20 min/d of low-intensity treadmill walking at 14 m/min). Gastrocnemius muscles from injured rats received exercise treatment alone (Ex + NoUS), exercise and US treatment (Ex + US), US treatment alone (NoEx + US), and no treatment (NoEx + NoUS). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ninety-six-hour postinjury muscle mass, contractile protein concentration, fiber cross-sectional area, number of nuclei per fiber, and myonuclear density. RESULTS: Myonuclei per fiber were statistically greater in injured than in noninjured gastrocnemius muscle (P < .05). There were no statistical differences (P > .01) among the 4 injured treatment groups for any of the outcome measures chosen as biomarkers of skeletal muscle regeneration. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that the specific continuous US and Ex protocols investigated enhanced skeletal muscle regeneration after contusion injury.     

Hyaluronidase increases electrogene transfer efficiency in skeletal muscle

Electrogene transfer (EGT) of plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle is a promising strategy for the treatment of muscle disorders and for the systemic secretion of therapeutic proteins. We report here that preinjecting hyaluronidase (HYAse) significantly increases the gene transfer efficiency of muscle EGT. Three constructs encoding mouse erythropoietin (pCMV/mEPO), secreted alkaline phosphatase (pCMV/SeAP), and luciferase (pGGluc) were electroinjected intramuscularly in BALB/c mice and rabbits with and without HYAse pretreatment. Preinjection 1 or 4 hr before EGT increased EPO gene expression by about 5-fold in mice and maintained higher gene expression than plasmid EGT alone. A similar increment in gene expression was observed on pretreatment with HYAse and electroinjection of pCMV/mEPO into rabbit tibialis muscle. The increment of gene expression in rabbits reached 17-fold on injection of plasmid pCMV/SeAP and 24-fold with plasmid pGGluc. Injection of a plasmid encoding beta-galactosidase (pCMV/beta gal/NLS) and subsequent staining with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside indicated that HYAse increased the tissue area involved in gene expression. No irreversible tissue damage was observed on histological analysis of treated muscles. HYAse is used in a variety of clinical applications, and thus the combination of HYAse pretreatment and muscle EGT may constitute an efficient gene transfer method to achieve therapeutic levels of gene expression.