Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of human tissue plasminogen activator prevents peritoneal adhesion formation/reformation in rats.

Background: Tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) demonstrated beneficial effects on peritoneal adhesion formation; however, its short half-life limits its continual fibrinolytic effect. Therefore, we delivered adenovirus encoding tPA to prevent adhesions.

Methods: Rats were subjected to peritoneal injury and assigned to two protocols. In de novo adhesion protocol, adenovirus encoding human tPA gene (Ad-htPA) was instilled after peritoneal injury in group 1 (n = 22), whereas group 2 received phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (n = 24). In recurrent adhesion protocol, group 1 (n = 15) received the same Ad-htPA dose after adhesiolysis and group 2 (n = 13) received PBS. Adhesion severity was scored 1 week after ad-htPA instillation. Adhesions were analyzed for htPA mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and levels of htPA, and fibrinolytic inhibitors PAI-1, TIMP-1, and TGF-beta1 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: htPA mRNA and protein were only expressed in adhesions from treated groups. A reduction in adhesion scores (P < .01) and in fibrinolytic inhibitors (P < .001) occurred in the treatment groups. Also, negative correlation was found (r = -.69, P < .01) between adhesion scores and htPA protein, but a positive correlation was found (r = .90, P < .01) between adhesion score and fibrinolytic inhibitors. No bleeding or wound complications were encountered.

Conclusion: Administration of adenovector encoding htPA is safe and decreased de novo and recurrent peritoneal adhesions.