title: Arterial Hypertension Is Characterized by Imbalance of Pro-Angiogenic versus Anti-Angiogenic Factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease and the main risk factor for stroke, peripheral arterial disease, arterial aneurysms and kidney disease. It has been reported recently that hypertensive patients and animals are characterized by decreased density of arterioles and capillaries in the tissues, called rarefaction. Rarefaction significantly increases peripheral resistance which results in elevated blood pressure, leads to vessel damage and induction of inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that hypertension is associated with decreased serum concentration of physiological pro-angiogenic factors and concomitant increased production of angiogenesis inhibitors.
  
  
  METHODS
  82 patients diagnosed with hypertension and 34 healthy volunteers were recruited to the study. Flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques were used to measure serum levels of the following cytokines: endostatin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin 8 (IL-8), angiogenin, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypertensive patients were characterized by increased serum concentration of endostatin which is an anti-angiogenic factor. In addition, hypertension was associated with decreased levels of physiological pro-angiogenic mediators such as: angiogenin and bFGF. The hypertensive group was also characterized by elevated levels of CRP, VEGF and IL-8 that are the hallmarks of inflammation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presented results show that hypertension is characterized by imbalance of pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors in the background of inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Cellular Therapies, Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marek-Trzonkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kwieczyńska
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reiwer-Gostomska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Cellular Therapies, Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland; Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koliński
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molisz
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siebert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000097:blood*; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D043169:Endostatins / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D043169:Endostatins; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D016209:Interleukin-8; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; C046366:angiogenin; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic