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Quantitative variation in vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression during early flexor tendon healing: an investigation in a canine model
Author(s) -
Boyer Martin I.,
Watson Jeffry T.,
Lou Jueren,
Manske Paul R.,
Gelberman Richard H.,
Cai Shi Rong
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1016/s0736-0266(01)00017-1
Subject(s) - variation (astronomy) , messenger rna , vascular endothelial growth factor , tendon , anatomy , biology , medicine , vegf receptors , physics , genetics , astrophysics , gene
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent mediator of angiogenesis, with direct mitogenic activity on cells of endothelial origin. We quantified the temporal accumulation of VEGF mRNA at the repair site of an in vivo canine intrasynovial flexor tendon repair and rehabilitation model by means of quantitative Northern blot analysis, in order to detail a molecular signal involved in the intrinsic angiogenic process that accompanies early flexor tendon healing. Significant accumulation of VEGF mRNA occurred at the flexor tendon repair site at 7 days post‐operatively, with peak levels seen at post‐operative days 7 and 10. Levels returned to baseline by day 14. Local VEGF mRNA accumulation at the repair site temporally precedes and is spatially distinct from the vascular ingrowth itself, which has been shown to occur maximally at day 17. These data suggest that cells within the flexor tendon repair site are involved in molecular processes other than the synthesis of extracellular matrix, such as modulation of angiogenesis. © 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.