Effect of lipofectamine-mediated endostatin gene therapy on human endometriosis lesions in nude mice

Objective To investigate the effect of lipofectamine-mediated endostatin gene therapy on human endometriosis lesions in nude mice.Methods Nude mice used in the present study were divided into four groups(10 each): group A(treated with pcDNA 3.1(+)-hES 20μg by injection into the lesion),group B(treated with pcDNA 3.1(+)-hES 20μg by intramuscular injection),group C(treated with pcDNA 3.1(+) 20μg by injection into the lesion) and group D(treated with the same amount of DMEM into the lesion).Development of endometriosis was observed,microvascular density(MVD) and vascular endothelial factor(VEGF) levels in the four groups were compared 21 days after treatment,and VEGF mRNA level was assessed 3 days and 7 days after treatment.Side effect was evaluated by measuring the proportion by weight of internal reproductive organ(uterus and ovary) to body mass in each group.Results The multiplication time of endometriosis lesions in the four groups were 7.49 days,7.02 days,6.67 days and 6.15 days,respectively.Inhibition ratio in group A was 90.51%,and 43.05% in group B.Twenty one days after treatment,MVD of lesion was obviously lower in group A(32±10/mm2) compared with that of group B(56±14/mm2),group C(72±12/mm2) and group D(82±19/mm2,all P0.05),while no significant difference existed between the two latter groups(P0.05).No obvious difference was found in VEGF value among the four groups 21days after treatment.Compared with groups C and D,VEGF mRNA level decreased on the 3rd day and increased on the 7th day after treatment in group A,but no change was found in group B.The proportion by weight of internal reproductive organ to body mass was lower in group A(0.008 6±0.002 5) and group B(0.008 0±0.003 4) than in group C(0.011 6±0.014 0) and group D(0.012 0±0.023 0,P0.05).Conclusions 20μg pcDNA 3.1(+)-hES gene transference is effective for the treatment of human endometriosis in nude mice.