干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

A development of contemporary methods of therapy as gene therapy is directly based on a search of genes that encode therapeutic proteins. Angiogenic gene therapy takes advantage of genes encoding proangiogenic factors. It is described that embryonic sonic hedgehog protein is a strong stimulator of neovascularization. Sonic hedgehog is implicated in the regulation of central nervous system polarity and differentiation of various organs. Recent findings indicate that sonic hedgehog based gene therapy accelerates wound healing by enhancing endothelial progenitor cell-mediated microvascular remodeling. It is also known that SHH induces arteriogenesis. Further studies of complex SHH signaling pathway will reveal whether proangiogenic potency of sonic hedgehog protein determine the progress of cardiovascular gene therapy.