Exploring the link between serum peroxides and angiogenesis in a bi-ethnic population from South Africa: the SAfrEIC study

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a fundamental role in angiogenesis, and in turn, angiogenic growth factors also affect ROS. Angiogenesis and ROS are intricately involved in vascular deterioration. Since black populations are known to have elevated oxidative stress and hypertension, we determined whether relationships exist between angiogenic growth factors and serum peroxides in Africans and Caucasians and evaluated the relationships with cardiovascular measurements. Methods: We measured vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF), angiopoietin 2 (Ang-2), and serum peroxides in Africans (N = 262) and Caucasians (N = 364) aged 20 to 70 years. Results: Africans displayed higher blood pressure, serum peroxide levels, VEGF, and Ang-2 (all P ≤ .002) than similarly aged Caucasians (P = .44). In multivariable adjusted analyses, Ang-2 was independently associated with serum peroxides in African men (R2 = 0.31; β = 0.21; P = .014) and women (R2 = 0.09; β = 0.22; P = .025); and VEGF with serum peroxides in African men (R2 = 0.12; β = 0.24; P = .014), with no statistically significant associations in Caucasians. Cardiovascular measurements did not associate with serum peroxides or angiogenic factors in any subgroup. Conclusions: Significant independent relationships exist between angiogenic growth factors and serum peroxides only in Africans who also displayed an unfavorable cardiovascular profile when compared with Caucasians. These results suggest that interplay between ROS and angiogenesis occur in African individuals that may form part of the mechanisms involved in vascular deterioration