1 research outputs found
The acute angiogenic signalling response to low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction
This study investigated protein kinase activation and gene expression of angiogenic factors in response to low-load resistance exercise with or without blood flow restriction (BFR). In a repeated measures cross-over design, six males performed four sets of bilateral knee extension exercise at 20% 1RM (reps per setβ=β30:15:15:continued to fatigue) with BFR (110β
mmHg) and without (CON). Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis before, 2 and 4β
h post-exercise. mRNA expression was determined using real-time RT-PCR. Protein phosphorylation/expression was determined using Western blot. p38MAPK phosphorylation was greater (pβ=β0.05) at 2β
h following BFR (1.3βΒ±β0.8) compared to CON (0.4βΒ±β0.3). AMPK phosphorylation remained unchanged. PGC-1Ξ± mRNA expression increased at 2β
h (5.9βΒ±β1.3 vs. 2.1βΒ±β0.8; pβ=β0.03) and 4β
h (3.2βΒ±β0.8 vs. 1.5βΒ±β0.4; pβ=β0.03) following BFR exercise with no change in CON. PGC-1Ξ± protein expression did not change following either exercise. BFR exercise enhanced mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at 2β
h (5.2βΒ±β2.8 vs 1.7βΒ±β1.1; pβ=β.02) and 4β
h (6.8βΒ±β4.9 vs. 2.5βΒ±β2.7; pβ=β.01) compared to CON. mRNA expression of VEGF-R2 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1Ξ± increased following BFR exercise but only eNOS were enhanced relative to CON. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 mRNA expression was not altered in response to either exercise. Acute low-load resistance exercise with BFR provides a targeted angiogenic response potentially mediated through enhanced ischaemic and shear stress stimuli