The impact of exercise on growth factors (VEGF and FGF2): results from a 12-month randomized intervention trial

BackgroundVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) are angiogenic cytokines in normal tissues and tumors. Evidence suggests that increased growth factor expression in adipose tissue leads to improved vascularity and decreased hypoxia, fibrosis, and inflammation, which may, in turn, reduce post-menopausal breast cancer risk.ObjectiveWe investigated whether or not exercise had dose-response effects on levels of plasma VEGF and FGF2 in postmenopausal women.MethodsFour hundred previously inactive but healthy postmenopausal women aged 50-74years of age were randomized to 150 or 300min per week of aerobic exercise in a year-long exercise intervention. VEGF and FGF2 were measured from fasting serum samples with a custom-plex multiplex assay.ResultsA high compared to moderate volume of aerobic exercise did not cause chronic changes in plasma VEGF or FGF2 levels in intention-to-treat or per-protocol analyses.ConclusionsWe did not detect differences in growth factor levels related to increasing doses of exercise. It is unlikely that changes in VEGF and FGF2 levels mediate the reduction in risk of post-menopausal breast cancer development in associated with increased levels of exercise.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01435005.