title: Expression of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 in degenerative Achilles tendons.
abstract: Evidence suggests neovascularization is involved in the etiology of spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture. Therefore we investigated expression of the receptors of one of the most important angiogenic factors, the vascular endothelial growth factor in normal and pathologic human Achilles tendons by immunohistochemical and molecular biology methods. Light microscopy showed degenerative changes in all spontaneously ruptured tendons with a higher vascular density compared with controls of healthy tendons from a cadaver. The vascular endothelial growth factor receptors-1 and 2 could be immunostained in endothelial cells of ruptured and fetal tendons, but not in normal tendons. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed messenger ribonucleic acid of both receptors are expressed in ruptured and fetal tendons but not in normal tendons. These results prove the reexpression of the major receptors for the angiogenic peptide vascular endothelial growth factor, the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1, and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in ruptured and fetal tendons and support our theory that high vascular density is associated with the pathogenesis of tendon degenerations. Inhibiting angiogenesis could be a new approach in the therapy of degenerative Achilles tendon disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Michaelisstrasse 1, D-24105 Kiel, Germany. wolfpetersen@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pufe
authors.forename: Thore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zantop
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tillmann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsokos
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mentlein
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2