Application of PAX7 Gene Therapy for Muscle Wound Healing and Regeneration
min578 · Oct 14, 2026
Muscle injuries, ranging from minor exercise-induced tears to severe injuries, necessitate effective recovery strategies to restore tissue functions. This study integrates a comprehensive literature review with gene ontology-based analysis to identify the candidate genes involved in the muscle repair process. The key genes, including VEGF, TGF-β, and the IGF family, were identified for their roles in muscle cell regeneration during angiogenesis, myogenesis, and satellite cell activation. The overlapping analysis further highlighted NOTCH1, ENO3, MSTN, MYF6, and notably PAX7 as potential therapeutic targets for gene therapy. Focused cell experiments demonstrated that overexpression of PAX7 in human muscle cells using the DNA plasmid transfection significantly enhanced wound recovery. PAX7 induced 70% wound closure compared to 20% controls and provided significant protection against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress (cell viability increased from 40% to 80%). Overall, these results indicate the promising potential of PAX7 gene therapy as a targeted intervention to activate muscle cell regeneration and protect from cellular damage in injured muscle tissues.