Angiogenesis and myogenesis in mouse tibialis anterior muscles during distraction osteogenesis: VEGF, its receptors, and myogenin genes expression

Angiogenesis and myogenesis occur in the surrounding skeletal muscles following distraction osteogenesis, but their molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The present study investigated morphological features of lengthened muscles and the time course change of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its receptors (VEGFR‐1 and VEGFR‐2) and myogenin gene expression profiles related to angiogenesis and myogenesis in tibialis anterior (TA) muscles with a mouse model of distraction osteogenesis, which involves 1 week of waiting period (latency phase), 2 weeks of intermittent distraction (distraction phase), and 5 weeks of remodeling period (consolidation phase). Macroscopic findings showed that lengthened TA muscles increased to approximately 42% longer and 10% heavier at the end of the process when compared to pre‐surgery. During the distraction phase, VEGF and its receptors were induced in the vascular endothelial cells, myogenin‐positive satellite cells and myocytes, and subsequently, capillary progression and myogenesis were increased. Real‐time RT‐PCR showed that Vegf, Vegfr‐1, Vegfr‐2, and myogenin genes expression was enhanced during the muscle lengthening. Vegf and Vegfr‐1 were upregulated following the recession of angiogenesis at the consolidation phase. We conclude that upregulation of VEGF and its receptors by mechanical tension‐stress could be involved in the process of angiogenesis and myogenesis in lengthened muscles. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:1767–1773, 2012