Angiopoietin-1 gene-modified human mesenchymal stem cells promote angiogenesis and reduce acute pancreatitis in rats.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can serve as a vehicle for gene therapy. Angiopoietin-1 (ANGPT1) plays an important role in the regulation of endothelial cell survival, vascular stabilization, and angiogenesis. We hypothesized that ANGPT1 gene-modified MSCs might be a potential therapeutic approach for severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in rats. Human umbilical cord-derived MSCs with or without transfection with lentiviral vectors containing the ANGPT1 gene were delivered through the tail vein of rats 12 h after induction of SAP. Administration of MSCs alone significantly reduced pancreatic injury and inflammation, as reflected by reductions in pancreatitis severity scores and serum amylase and lipase levels as well as reducing the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-6). Furthermore, administration of ANGPT1-transfected MSCs resulted in not only further reductions in pancreatic injury and serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, but also promotion of pancreatic angiogenesis. These results suggest that MSCs and ANGPT1 have a synergistic role in the treatment of SAP. ANGPT1 gene-modified MSCs may be developed as a potential novel therapy strategy for the treatment of SAP.