Aims: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent hypoxia-regulated angiogenic factor. Its soluble receptor soluble (s)Flt-1 binds VEGF with high affinity inhibiting the angiogenic function of VEGF. The role of circulating VEGF in atherosclerosis is unclear.
Methods and results: In 909 healthy subjects (511 male, 398 female) from the Salzburg Atherosclerosis Prevention Program in Subjects at High Individual Risk (SAPHIR) we determined fasting plasma VEGF and sFlt-1 concentration, cardiovascular risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis. VEGF levels were lower and sFlt-1 levels higher in men than in women. VEGF and sFlt-1 showed a positive correlation. In the entire population VEGF correlated positively with age, BMI, insulin resistance, white blood cell and platelet count, C-reactive protein (CRP) and carotid intima media thickness (IMT). After adjustment for age, VEGF showed a weak positive correlation with BMI, liver enzymes, CRP and platelet count in males. In females VEGF correlated negatively with LDL-cholesterol and positively with insulin resistance and platelet count. After adjustment for age, no significant correlation with carotid atherosclerosis could be detected.
Conclusion: Plasma VEGF and sFlt-1 are only weakly correlated with cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting that circulating VEGF levels do have only a minor impact on the development of atherosclerosis.