Isolation and transduction of monocytes: promising vehicles for therapeutic arteriogenesis

Background and aimsAugmentation of collateral vessel growth (arteriogenesis) is of particular clinical interest for the treatment of vascular occlusive disease. Monocytes play a key role for arteriogenesis. They localize to areas of collateral development and create a highly arteriogenic environment. “Homing” of ex vivo genetically engineered monocytes could therapeutically be exploited for augmentation of arteriogenesis. However, isolation and ex vivo transduction of monocytes is problematic.MethodsIn this study, we established a valid method of monocyte isolation from peripheral blood and evaluated different in vitro transduction methods.ResultsOur results revealed that liposomes and electroporation were unsuccessful for monocyte transduction. However, high-efficiency gene transfer (almost 95%) was achieved by adenoviral infection. Subsequent homing of virally transduced monocytes to sites of arteriogenesis could be demonstrated.ConclusionOur study may offer a new method for the augmentation of arteriogenesis, all of which makes the ultimate goal of applying this strategy to humans for therapy of vascular disease eminently attractive.