Dietary Weight Loss and Exercise Effects on Serum Biomarkers of Angiogenesis in Overweight Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Obese and sedentary persons have an increased risk for cancer, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Angiogenesis is common to adipose tissue formation and remodeling, and to tumor vascularization. A total of 439 overweight/obese, healthy, postmenopausal women [body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m(2)] ages 50-75 years, recruited between 2005 and 2008 were randomized to a 4-arm 12-month randomized controlled trial, comparing a caloric restriction diet arm (goal: 10% weight loss, N = 118), aerobic exercise arm (225 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity, N = 117), a combined diet + exercise arm (N = 117), or control (N = 87) on circulating levels of angiogenic biomarkers. VEGF, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) were measured by immunoassay at baseline and 12 months. Changes were compared using generalized estimating equations, adjusting for baseline BMI, age, and race/ethnicity. Participants randomized to the diet + exercise arms had statistically significantly greater reductions in PAI-1 at 12 months compared with controls (-19.3% vs. +3.48%, respectively, P < 0.0001). Participants randomized to the diet and diet + exercise arms had statistically significantly greater reductions in PEDF (-9.20%, -9.90%, respectively, both P < 0.0001) and VEGF (-8.25%, P = 0.0005; -9.98%, P < 0.0001, respectively) compared with controls. There were no differences in any of the analytes in participants randomized to the exercise arm compared with controls. Increasing weight loss was statistically significantly associated with linear trends of greater reductions in PAI-1, PEDF, and VEGF. Weight loss is significantly associated with reduced circulating VEGF, PEDF, and PAI-1, and could provide incentive for reducing weight as a cancer prevention method in overweight and obese individuals. (C)2016 AACR.