Exercise-induced expression of angiogenesis-related transcription and growth factors in human skeletal muscle

Abstract

mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) subunits HIF-1α and HIF-1β in human skeletal muscle was studied during endurance exercise at different degrees of oxygen delivery. Muscle biopsies were taken before and after 45 min of one-legged knee-extension exercise performed under conditions of nonrestricted or restricted blood flow (∼15–20% lower) at the same absolute workload. Exercise increased VEGF mRNA expression by 178% and HIF-1β by 340%, but not HIF-1α and FGF-2. No significant differences between the restricted and nonrestricted groups were observed. The exercise-induced increase in VEGF mRNA was correlated to the exercise changes in HIF-1α and HIF-1β mRNA. The changes in VEGF, HIF-1α, and HIF-1β mRNAs were correlated to the exercise-induced increase in femoral venous plasma lactate concentration. It is concluded that 1) VEGF but not FGF-2 gene expression is upregulated in human skeletal muscle by a single bout of dynamic exercise and that there is a graded response in VEGF mRNA expression related to the metabolic stress and 2) the increase in VEGF mRNA expression correlates to the changes in both HIF-1α and HIF-1β mRNA.

Serum bFGF levels are reduced in Japanese overweight men and restored by a 6-month exercise education

“…Short-term exercise induces mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle, and the elevated VEGF levels may be attributed to the increased physical activities during the 6-month exercise education. 32,33 Although VEGF is apparently elevated in overweight subjects, it remains unknown whether VEGF enhances or protects atherosclerotic plaque in overweight subjects. Indeed, in animal studies, there are still controversies whether it reduces intimal thickening by accelerating re-endothelialization 34 or enhances intimal thickening.…”

Regulation of myogenic stem cell behaviour by vessel cells: The "ménage à trois" of satellite cells, periendothelial cells and endothelial cells

“…Several studies have implicated VEGF in skeletal muscle angiogenesis regulation induce by acute aerobic or resistance exercise in both human and animals. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Furthermore, it has been shown that training also induce modifications of VEGF mRNA and protein expression. [12][13][14][15][16] Chronic pathological conditions, such as Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and diabetes, 17,18 induce capillary rarefaction suggesting that VEGF is also important in the maintenance of adult skeletal muscle microvasculature.…”

Circulating hematopoietic progenitor cells in runners

“…Circulating HPCs were involved in neovascularization after myocardial damage in humans (20) and include cells with an angioblastic potential (19). Exercise is a potent cause of angiogenesis in skeletal muscle (9), and circulating HPCs might contribute to this process. Further studies with measurements of specific markers of early endothelial or muscle cell differentiation, however, are necessary to support this hypothesis.…”