IGF-1 therapy improves muscle size and function in experimental peripheral arterial disease

CONDENSED ABSTRACT Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has continued to increase in prevalence over the past several decades, yet therapeutic development has remained stagnant. Skeletal muscle health and function has been strongly linked to quality of life and medical outcomes in PAD patients. Using a rodent model of PAD, this study demonstrates that treatment of the ischemic limb with adeno-associated virus-mediated expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) significantly increases muscle size and strength, without improving limb hemodynamics. Interestingly, the effect size of IGF1 therapy was larger in female mice compared to their male counterparts, where substantial improvements in muscle specific force and a reduction in the progression of limb necrosis were observed. These findings indicate that clinical trials should carefully examine sex-dependent effects in experimental PAD therapies.