Increased expression of VEGF following exercise training in patients with heart failure

• Published in: European journal of clinical investigation Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 362 - 366
• Main Authors: Gustafsson, T., Bodin, K., Sylvén, C., Gordon, A., Tyni-Lenné, R., Jansson, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01-04-2001; Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Angiogenesis; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Chronic Disease; Citrate (si)-Synthase - metabolism; Endothelial Growth Factors - biosynthesis; Endothelial Growth Factors - genetics; Exercise; Female; Heart; heart failure; Heart Failure - enzymology; Heart Failure - metabolism; Heart Failure - physiopathology; Heart failure, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement; Humans; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Lymphokines - biosynthesis; Lymphokines - genetics; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - classification; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - enzymology; Phosphofructokinase-1 - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; Work Capacity Evaluation; Human; Heart failure; Angiogenesis; Physical training; Vascular endothelium growth factor; Pathophysiology; Heart disease; Cardiovascular disease; Exploration; Gene expression; Striated muscle
• ISSN: 0014-2972; 1365-2362
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2362.2001.00816.x

Background and aims During the last decades several angiogenic factors have been characterized but so far it is unknown whether local muscle exercise training increases the expression of these factors in patients with moderate heart failure. Expression of the major putative angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at the level of messneger RNA (mRNA) and/or protein was therefore studied before and after 8 weeks of training in patient with chronic heart failure.
Methods VEGF mRNA and protein concentrations were determined in skeletal muscle biopsies before and after 8 weeks of one‐legged knee extension training in patients with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association II–III).
Results Exercise training increased the citrate synthase activity and peripheral exercise capacity by 46% and 36%, respectively, in parallel with a two‐fold increase in VEGF at both the mRNA (P = 0·03) and protein (P = 0·02) levels
Conclusion The increase in VEGF gene expression in response to exercise training indicates VEGF to be one possible mediator in exercise‐induced angiogenesis and may therefore regulate an important and early step in adaptation to increased muscle activity in patient with chronic heart failure.