The effect of vitamin E supplementation on angiogenic factors in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most complex endocrine disorders of reproductive age and cause of infertility due to ovulation failure in women. Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from the existing vascular bed. In adult, angiogenesis plays an important role in physiological conditions such as the women reproductive cycle, wound healing and ischemia as well as in pathological conditions such as cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of vitamin E supplementation on angiogenic factors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in patients with PCOS. Methods: This study was performed on 43 women diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups to 1) receive either 400 IU/day vitamin E 2) placebo (cellulose) for 8 weeks. After obtaining written informed consent, the participants were asked to take 400 IU vitamin E or placebo once daily. Anthropometric parameters as well as angiogenic markers including VEGF, bFGF, Ang-1 and Ang-2 were assessed before and after the intervention. Moreover, Dietary intake (24-hour recall) and physical activity (International physical activity questionnaire-short form IPAQ-S) were also determined. Results: There were no significant difference in energy, macronutrients, micronutrients intakes, biochemical measurments and anthropometric parameters between to groups at the beginning of the study. At the end of the study, serum levels of VEGF, bFGF, Ang-1 and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio as well as weghit, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass (FM) significantly reduced in the vitamin E group, in comparison with baseline values, while fat free mass (FFM) significantly increased in the vitamin E group, in comparison with baseline values (all p<0.05). At the end of the study, serum VEGF, Ang-1 and Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio and weghit, BMI nad FM were significantly decreased in the intervention group, in comparison with placebo groups (p=0.01, p=0.001 and p=0.03, p=0.01, p=0.01 and p=0.001 respectively). However, the concentration of bFGF and Ang-2 did not differ between the intervention and placebo groups at the end of the study. Conclusion: The findings of the present study demonstrate the potential role of vitamin E supplementation on Ang-1, Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio, and VEGF in subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, there is need for more longitudinal trials to investigate the exact role of vitamin E on polycystic ovary syndrome.