Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor transferred into salivary glands in rats

Objective: To study the feasibility of using vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene therapy for salivary glands and observe the changes in content of VEGF in spittle. Methods: VEGF cDNA was cloned into eukaryotic expression vector pBKCMV and the VEGF gene was transferred into rat maxillary glands mediated by lipotect AMINE. The expression of VEGF gene was investigated by RT PCR and the content of VEGF in spittle was observed by ELISA. Results: The expression of VEGF gene and the content of VEGF were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control. It reached its peak from the 2nd to 3rd d after treatment and remained high for 5 d. Conclusion: After being mediated by lipotect AMINE, the VEGF gene can express steadily and constantly. The content of VEGF in spittle becomes higher. It provides a new way for promoting oral wound healing in clinical practice.