The influence of physical training on the angiopoietin and VEGF-A systems in human skeletal muscle

Eleven subjects performed one-legged exercise four times per week for 5 wk. The subjects exercised one leg for 45 min with restricted blood flow (R leg), followed by exercise with the other leg at the same absolute workload with unrestricted blood flow (UR leg). mRNA and protein expression were measured in biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle obtained at rest before the training period, after 10 days, and after 5 wk of training, as well as 120 min after the first and last exercise bouts. Basal Ang-2 and Tie-1 mRNA levels increased in both legs with training. The Ang-2-to-Ang-1 ratio increased to a greater extent in the R leg. The changes in Ang-2 mRNA were followed by similar changes at the protein level. In the R leg, VEGF-A mRNA expression responded transiently after acute exercise both before and after the 5-wk training program. Over the course of the exercise program, there was a concurrent increase in basal VEGF-A protein and VEGFR-2 mRNA in the R leg. Ki-67 mRNA showed a greater increase in the R leg and the protein was localized to the endothelial cells. In summary, the increased translation of VEGF-A is suggested to be caused by the short mRNA burst induced by each exercise bout. The concurrent increase in the Ang-2-to-Ang-1 ratio and the VEGF-expression combined with the higher level of Ki-67 mRNA in the R leg indicate that changes in these systems are of importance also in nonpathological angiogenic condition such as voluntary exercise in humans. It further establish that hypoxia/ischemia-related metabolic perturbation is likely to be involved as stimuli in this process in human skeletal muscle.