© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017 103
J. Xiao (ed.), Exercise for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment,
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 999,
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4307-9_7
Chapter 7
Physical Exercise Can Spur Beneficial
Neoangiogenesis and Microvasculature
Remodeling Within the Heart – Our
Salvation?
Michal Miko and Ivan Varga
Abstract Economic and social burden of cardiovascular diseases remains enor-
mous and even still rising. There is not enough mass evidence in scientific journals
that could describe the course of the process of neoangiogenesis in relatively
“healthy” heart after regular endurance exercise. Even though, in this review, we are
showing preliminary evidence that this can be one of really cheap and effective
preventive means. We are elucidating some of the cellular signaling pathways how
exercise could affect neoangiogenesis and ameliorate performance of the heart. Key
roles in this process are mechanical forces (mainly increased velocity of blood flow
and shear stress) and subsequent rise of angiogenic biological factors (mainly
VEGFA).
Keywords Exercise • Neoangiogenesis • Microvasculature remodeling • Heart
1 Introduction
In recent years, we are witnesses of many improvements in treatment of cardiovas-
cular diseases. Nevertheless, economic and social burden remains enormous and
even still rising [ 1 ]. That is why hopes are directed towards the prevention of such
diseases. But effective and cheap cardiovascular preventive treatments remain lim-
ited. Concentration on neoangiogenesis within the coronary microvasculature as to
one of the possible nodes that can be relatively easily affected by such a simple
activity as moderate exercise can be one of these preventive means. It is well known
that healthy lifestyle and a regular exercise regimen can help prevent many of
M. Miko () • I. Varga ()
Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine,
Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]