title: Impaired myocardial capillarogenesis and increased adaptive capillary growth in FGF2-deficient mice.
abstract: Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) plays a major role in angiogenesis and capillary growth. In contrast to vascular endothelial growth factor, which is required for proliferation and survival of endothelial cells, FGF2 does not seem to be essential since the Fgf2 knockout is not lethal. Therefore, the precise genetic and physiological roles of FGF2 for capillary development and adaptation remain to be determined. Here we show that myocardial capillary supply is normal at birth, but significantly reduced by approximately 25% in adult Fgf2+/- and Fgf2-/- mice as compared with wild-type littermates. In contrast, after induction of myocardial hypertrophy by continuous infusion of angiotensin II (ANG II) for 6 days marked capillary growth was seen in both Fgf2+/- and Fgf2-/- mice, but not in wild-type littermates. These data demonstrate that two intact Fgf2 genes are necessary for normal capillary development after birth, whereas FGF2 seems to be dispensable for adaptive myocardial capillary growth in the adult mouse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Kerstin.Amann@patho.imed.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faulhaber
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Campean
authors.forename: Vitali
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balajew
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dono
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mall
authors.forename: Heimo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ehmke
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000254:growth & development*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D000804:Angiotensin II