Serum bFGF levels are reduced in Japanese overweight men and restored by a 6-month exercise education

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the changes in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) concentrations before and after weight reduction in Japanese overweight men are associated with changes in body mass index (BMI), visceral, subcutaneous fat, VO2 and work rate (WR) at ventilatory threshold (VT). DESIGN: Cross-sectional and longitudinal clinical intervention study with exercise education. SUBJECTS: In total, 30 Japanese overweight men (BMI, 29.0±2.2 kg/m(2)) and 31 normal-weight men (BMI, 22.5±1.6 kg/m(2)) at baseline were enrolled: 30 overweight men (BMI, 29.0±2.2 kg/m(2)) were further enrolled into a 6-month exercise program. MEASUREMENTS: Fat distribution evaluated by visceral fat (V) and subcutaneous fat (S) areas measured with computed tomography scanning at umbilical levels, angiogenic peptides including VEGF and bFGF, exercise tests at baseline and after 6 months. RESULTS: In normal-weight and overweight subjects at baseline, VEGF positively correlated with S area (r=0.350, P=0.007) but not with V area. In contrast, bFGF negatively correlated with BMI (r=-0.619, P<0.001), S (r=-0.457, P<0.001) and V areas (r=-0.466, P<0.001). By intervention with exercise education, 30 overweight subjects showed reduction in BMI (29.0±2.2 to 28.0±2.0, P<0.001), V and S areas, increase in VO(2) and WR at VT, increase in bFGF (9.21±5.82-21.2±7.04 ng/ml, P<0.001), and no change in VEGF (1.45±0.72-1.88±0.52 ng/ml, P=0.016). The stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that ΔBMI (β=-6.052) and ΔVO2 (β=2.806) were independently related to ΔbFGF (P<0.001) and all other variables including ΔS area, and ΔV area, and ΔWR did not enter the equation at significant levels. CONCLUSION: The present study indicated a negative correlation between serum bFGF levels and BMI at baseline as well as an association of ΔBMI and ΔVO2 with ΔbFGF after exercise intervention. The exercise-induced elevation of bFGF may be beneficial in the prevention of the atherosclerosis in overweight subjects.