Vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in patients' ischemic skeletal muscle with diabetic foot.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the endogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression in diabetics' calf ischemic skeletal muscle and the pathogeny of diabetic foot.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients (33 limbs) were divided into 3 groups: diabetes mellitus (DM) without lower extremity ischemia (n = 5) (10 limbs); arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) without diabetes mellitus (n = 10) (13 limbs); diabetic lower limb arteriosclerosis obliterans (DLASO) (n = 9) (10 limbs). Control group consisted of normal volunteers (NOR) (n = 5) (10 limbs). The calf skeletal muscle tissue was obtained through muscle biopsy. RT-PCR was applied to determine the expression of hVEGF165mRNA.


RESULTS
There was no expression in the calf skeletal muscle tissue of normal volunteers and DM. The calf skeletal muscle tissue in DLASO had the expression of hVEGF165mRNA (0.021 +/- 0.013) micro g, but obviously lower than ASO (0.133 +/- 0.024) micro g, (t = 13.32, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The endogenous VEGF gene expression in ischemic lower extremity of DLASO is obviously lower than that of ASO. It is the important endogenic cause of the genesis and development of diabetic foot ulcer.
Wang
Zheng
Z
Department of Vascular Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China.
Zhang
Jiwei
J
Zhang
Baigen
B
D017719:Diabetic Foot; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A