Effect of Adenovector-Mediated Gene Transfer of Keratinocyte Growth Factor on the Proliferation of Alveolar Type II Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

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Abstract
Alveolar type II cell proliferation occurs after lung injury and is thought to minimize the subsequent fibrotic response. Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) has been shown to be a potent growth factor for rat alveolar type II cells. In this study, we created a replication-deficient, recombinant human type 5 adenovirus vector expressing human KGF (Ad5-KGF) to produce alveolar type II cell hyperplasia in vivo. In rat type II cells in vitro, Ad5-KGF at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 2, 4, and 8 plaque-forming units (PFU)/cell increased thymidine incorporation 13.3-, 16.8-, and 20.8-fold, respectively. The KGF concentration in the medium increased up to 26.0 ± 1.0 ng/ ml. We then instilled 109 PFU of Ad5-KGF, Ad5-LacZ, or phosphate-buffered saline into Fischer 344 rats and analyzed the lungs 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d later. Ad5-KGF produced extensive alveolar type II cell hyperplasia on Days 2, 3, and 7. Surfactant protein (SP)-A and SP-D in lavage and SP-D in serum increased more in the Ad5-KGF group than in the Ad5-LacZ and PBS groups on Days 2 and 3. KGF was readily detectable for up to 7 d in lavage fluid, although only a modest number of cells expressed KGF messenger RNA as detected by in situ hybridization. These data show that Ad5-KGF stimulates extensive alveolar type II cell proliferation in vivo.

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