Promising results using cell therapy in animal models of muscular dystrophy have recently been reported. However, a limitation of this previous work is that therapeutic effects have been shown only in young animals, whereas many patients who could benefit from such therapy are at advanced stages of disease. As dystrophic muscle ages, it becomes sclerotic and is infiltrated by fat, presenting an obstacle to cell delivery. This paper reports that this obstacle can be overcome by pretreatment of the muscle with tendon fibroblasts that have been genetically modified to express an angiogenic factor and a metalloprotease.
- Cesare Gargioli
- Marcello Coletta
- Giulio Cossu
