Effects of vascular endothelial growth factor on hemodynamics and cardiac performance

R Yang, GR Thomas, S Bunting, A Ko… - Journal of …, 1996 - journals.lww.com
R Yang, GR Thomas, S Bunting, A Ko, N Ferrara, B Keyt, J Ross, H Jin
Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology, 1996journals.lww.com
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major regulator of angiogenesis, has
therapeutic benefit in animal models of coronary or limb ischemia. However, the
hemodynamic effects of VEGF have not been investigated. We examined the effects of VEGF
on hemodynamics and cardiac performance. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR),
cardiac output, stroke volume, left ventricular (LV) dP/dt, and hematocrit were measured
before and after intravenous injection of VEGF in conscious, instrumented rats. VEGF …
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major regulator of angiogenesis, has therapeutic benefit in animal models of coronary or limb ischemia. However, the hemodynamic effects of VEGF have not been investigated. We examined the effects of VEGF on hemodynamics and cardiac performance. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output, stroke volume, left ventricular (LV) dP/dt, and hematocrit were measured before and after intravenous injection of VEGF in conscious, instrumented rats. VEGF caused a dose-dependent reduction in MAP and an associated increase in HR. VEGF (250 μg/kg) significantly decreased cardiac output and stroke volume without affecting the inotropic state of the left ventricle, as determined by dP/dt. VEGF significantly increased hematocrit. Furthermore, VEGF did not affect contractility or HR in the isolated rat heart in vitro. The data suggest that the VEGF-induced decrease in cardiac output is due to reduced stroke volume, which may be caused by a decrease in venous return rather than a direct effect on myocardial contractility. In addition, pretreatment with N ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl-ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, significantly attenuated the depressor and tachycardic responses to VEGF, suggesting that VEGF-induced hypotension may be mediated by NO.
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins