DOS 2019

164 · DOS Abstracts Angiogenic potential is retained in ischemic muscle in patients with critical limb ischemia undergoing amputation Tue Smith jørgensen, ylva hellsten, Hans gottlieb , Christopher D. Askew, stig brorson, Birgitte Høier orthopedic, sport and foot section, Gentofte; Nutrition Exercise and Sports, university of copenhagen; Orthopedic, Herlev; Shcoll of Health and sports sci- ences, casoactive research group, University of sunshine coast Australia; ortho- pedic, Zealand university hospital; Nutrition Exercise and Sports, university of copenhagen Background: In peripheral arterial disease (PAD), alterations in microvascular density and structure are believed to contribute to chronic skeletal muscle isch- emia. Impaired formation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is critical for capillary growth, may be a cause of the vascular rarefaction. Purpose / Aim of Study: To determine the presence and release of VEGF pro- tein in skeletal muscle and isolated muscle myocytes from critically ischemic limbs of patients with PAD. Materials and Methods: Skeletal muscle biopsies were collected from proxi- mal less ischemic muscle and from distal highly ischemic muscle of 15 patients with critical limb ischemia undergoing transfemoral amputation. Control samples were obtained from five age-matched healthy individuals. Muscle samples were analyzed for VEGF content and other angiogenic, mitochondrial and -vascu- lar proteins. Skeletal muscle cells were also isolated and cultured to determine muscle specific VEGF content and release. Findings / Results: Compared with age-matched individuals, the VEGF recep- tor 2 protein level was higher (p=0.042) in PAD patients. No differences were found for the other proteins. In the cell study, muscle cells from the proximal and distal limb regions showed similar amounts of VEGF protein and the capacity for VEGF protein release did not differ. Conclusions: Our results indicate, that critically ischemic muscle has a similar angiogenic potential as healthy muscle. As VEGF availability and VEGF receptor density are not limited in CLI, therapeutic strategies to improve angiogenesis should focus on other targets. 120.