Lentiviral vector-mediated co-overexpression of VEGF and Bcl-2 improves mesenchymal stem cell survival and enhances paracrine effects in vitro

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation has emerged as a promising therapy for ischemic heart disease; however, the low survival rate of transplanted cells limits their therapeutic efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the dual genetic modification of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and B‑cell lymphoma‑2 (Bcl‑2) confers a higher expression level of the target genes, better survival and a stronger paracrine...