Experimental study of hepatocyte growth factor in inhibition of myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis of chronic ischemic heart disease

AIM:To study the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in inhibiting myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis after chronic ischemia myocardium. METHODS: AdHGF was established by calcium phosphate/DNA-TPC and the porcine model of chronic myocardial ischemia was established by placing an Ameroid ring inside the left circumflex coronary artery. The pigs were randomly divided into three groups (n=6) and were injected, respectively, with 4×109 pfu 200 μl AdHGF, 4×109 pfu 200 μl AdNull and 200 μl Ns in the ischemic myocardium. After 4 weeks, cardiac function was examined using cardio-ultrasound and myocardial pathology test was conducted. RESULTS: Echocardiography showed that the ventricular wall in AdHGF group was thickened and LVEDV, LEEF and FS were significantly improved (P<0.05). The myocardial tissue slice showed that the fibrous proliferation of pathological cardiac ischemia and necrosis in AdHGF group was significantly lower than that in AdNull group (P<0.05). Collagen type III protein and myocardial cells apoptosis rate in AdHGF group were significantly lower than those in control group (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION: HGF inhibits myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis after chronic ischemia myocardium and, consequently, inhibits ventricular remodeling and improves cardiac function.