Angiogenic growth factor response to acute systemic exercise in human skeletal muscle

Departments of 1 Exercise and Sport Science, 2 Physiology, and 3 Surgery, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858 Submitted 18 July 2003 ; accepted in final form 28 August 2003 We investigated whether acute systemic exercise increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor (KDR and Flt-1) mRNA, and VEGF protein in sedentary humans. Twelve sedentary subjects were recruited and performed 1 h of acute, cycle ergometer exercise at 50% of maximal oxygen consumption. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis before exercise and at 0, 2, and 4 h postexercise. Acute exercise significantly increased VEGF mRNA at 2 and 4 h and increased KDR and Flt-1 mRNA at 4 h postexercise. The sustained increase in VEGF mRNA through 4 h and the increases in KDR and Flt-1 at 4 h are different from their respective time course responses in rats. In contrast to the increase in VEGF mRNA postexercise, VEGF protein levels were decreased at 0 h postexercise. These results provide evidence in humans that 1 ) VEGF, KDR, and Flt-1 mRNA are increased by acute systemic exercise; 2 ) the time course of the VEGF, KDR, and Flt-1 mRNA responses are different from those previously reported in rats (Gavin TP and Wagner PD. Acta Physiol Scand 175: 201–209, 2002); and 3 ) VEGF protein is decreased immediately after exercise. KDR; Flt-1; skeletal muscle capillary supply; time course; vascular endothelial growth factor Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: T. P. Gavin, 363 Ward Sports Medicine Bldg., East Carolina Univ., Greenville, NC 27858 (E-mail: gavint{at}mail.ecu.edu ).