Objective: To assess the influence of different doses of CKLF1 plasmid on the dynamics and magnitude of the mobilization of the mobilization bone of marrow stem cells in a rat AMI model.
Methods: Different doses of plasmid DNA encoding CKLF1 gene, empty plasmid or saline were injected into male SD rats intramuscularly with in vivo electroporation. Rats were subjected to left coronary artery ligation 6 days after gene transfer. Peripheral blood samples were drawn and CD34+ cells were assayed by FACS calibur flow-cytometer. The changes in absolute number of CD34+ cells were evaluated.
Results: Expressions of CKLF1 mRNA and protein were detected in the injection site 7 days after gene transfer. Five days after gene transfer, the CD34+ cells numbers in CKLF1 groups were significantly higher than those in empty plasmid group, especially in CKLF1 100 microg group (16.63x10(6)/L vs 4.98x10(6)/L, P<0.01). On the 5-7 days, the CD34+ cell numbers in CKLF1 groups reached the peak and the peak number was 3.88 times that of baseline in CKLF1 100 microg group (P<0.01). After AMI, the cell numbers of 1 day to 7 days were significantly higher than those of the baseline in empty plasmid group and saline group. In comparison to empty plasmid group, CKLF1 groups were associated with still higher numbers of cells 1 day after AMI (P< 0.05), especially in CKLF1 100 microg group (14.61x10(6)/L vs 7.85x10(6)/L, P<0.01).
Conclusion: CKLF1 gene transfer significantly increases the mobilization of CD34+ stem cells in acute myocardial infarction rats.