Gene therapy for acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

For patients with myocardial infarction, direct angioplasty(PTCA plus stent implantation) has become common practice in Japan. For a better prognosis, inhibition of thrombosis and restenosis in the afflicted coronary artery, salvage of ischemic myocardium, and suppression of myocardial remodeling are all highly desirable. Transfer of genes for molecules appropriate for each of the above pathological conditions is a potential effective therapy. The combined use of a recombinant protein and gene transfer of anti-thrombosis molecule into the injured artery may be an effective and practical local therapy without systemic side-effects. Angiogenesis gene therapy with an aid of endothelial progenitor cells will soon be used in the clinic, while sometime in the future replacement of the myocardial infarct with engineered fresh tissue could be the ultimate therapy.