Acute resistance exercise increases skeletal muscle angiogenic growth factor expression

Abstract

Acute aerobic exercise promotes skeletal muscle angiogenesis and increases the expression of several angiogenic growth factors in skeletal muscle and in the circulation. Resistance exercise can promote skeletal muscle angiogenesis, though the increase is less robust than the response to aerobic exercise. PURPOSE: To determine if acute resistance exercise increases angiogenic growth factor (VEGF and angiopoietin) expression in skeletal muscle and plasma. METHODS: Six young men began by performing a progressive two legged, knee extensor resistance exercise test to determine one repetition maximum (1-RM). Following the determination of 1-RM, subjects performed 3 sets of ten repetitions (3 × 10) at 60–80% of 1-RM. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies and plasma samples were obtained prior to the initiation of the 1-RM test and at 0, 2, and 4 hr following the completion of the last resistance exercise set. mRNA was analyzed by rtPCR and proteins by ELISA. RESULTS: In muscle, VEGF, KDR, neuropilin 1, and Tie2 mRNA were significantly (p < 0.05) increased by resistance exercise, while VEGF protein and Flt-1 mRNA tended (p < 0.1) to be increased by exercise. In the plasma, VEGF and sFlt-1 protein tended (p < 0.1) to be increased by exercise. Neither angiopoietin 1 or 2 mRNA in skeletal muscle was increased by exercise at the time points investigated. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to aerobic exercise, resistance exercise increases angiogenic growth factor expression. The lack of an angiopoietin 2 response may be responsible for the less robust angiogenic response to resistance compared to aerobic exercise. Supported by NIH AG-21891 and Mid-Atlantic AHA 0465415U.