Low-Load Resistance Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction Increases Hypoxia-Induced Angiogenic Genes Expression

The aim of the study was to determine whether low-load exercise (LL) with blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) would induce similar changes in expression of genes involved in hypoxia and angiogenesis compared to LL and highload exercise (HL). Twenty-four males (age: 21.3 ± 1.9 years, body height: 1.74 ± 0.8 m, body mass: 73 ± 1.8 kg) were allocated into three groups: low-load exercise (LL), low-load exercise with blood-flow restriction (LL-BFR), and highload exercise (HL). For the LL-BFR group a pneumatic cuff was inflated at 80% of the arterial occlusion pressure. All participants performed bilateral knee extension exercise, twice a week, for 8 weeks. LL and LL-BFR groups performed 34 sets of 15 reps at 20% 1RM, whilst the HL group performed 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps at 80% 1RM with a 60-s rest interval between sets. The hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) and beta (HIF-1β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), neuronal (nNOS), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) genes expression were assessed before and after training. HIF-1α and HIF-1β mRNA levels significantly increased in the LL-BFR group and exceeded those elicited by HL and LL groups (p < .0001). VEGF gene expression was increased in both LL-BFR and HL groups, however, LL-BFR elicited a greater increase than LL (p < .0001). nNOS and iNOS genes expression significantly increased in all groups with greatest increases being observed in the LL-BFR group (p < .0001). The findings suggest that LL-BFR induces greater increases in genes expression related to hypoxia and angiogenesis than traditional resistance training.

Volga Fernandes, R., Tricoli, V., Garcia Soares, A., Haruka Miyabara, E., Saldanha Aoki, M., Laurentino, G. (2022). Low-Load Resistance Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction Increases Hypoxia-Induced Angiogenic Genes Expression. Journal of Human Kinetics, 84, 82-91. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0101

Volga Fernandes, R., Tricoli, V., Garcia Soares, A., Haruka Miyabara, E., Saldanha Aoki, M., and Laurentino, G. (2022). Low-Load Resistance Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction Increases Hypoxia-Induced Angiogenic Genes Expression. Journal of Human Kinetics, 84, pp.82-91. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0101

Volga Fernandes, Rodrigo et al. “Low-Load Resistance Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction Increases Hypoxia-Induced Angiogenic Genes Expression.” Journal of Human Kinetics, vol. 84, 2022, pp. 82-91. doi:10.2478/hukin-2022-0101.

Volga Fernandes R, Tricoli V, Garcia Soares A, Haruka Miyabara E, Saldanha Aoki M, Laurentino G. Low-Load Resistance Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction Increases Hypoxia-Induced Angiogenic Genes Expression. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2022;84:82-91. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0101