Blood vessel growth factors linked to canine leishmaniosis severity

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is a zoonotic vector-borne disease and is primarily associated with systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and immune dysregulation. Although angiopoietins (Ang) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are key regulators of vascular homeostasis, their roles in CanL have remained unclear. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate Ang-1, Ang-2 and VEGF levels in CanL, in relation to disease severity and inflammatory markers. METHODS: The study included 74 dogs (52 with CanL and 22 healthy controls). The dogs with CanL were categorized into four groups based on disease severity. Plasma levels of Ang-1, Ang-2 and VEGF were measured with commercial ELISA kits. The correlations of these parameters with disease progression and inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin, were statistically analysed. RESULTS: Ang-1 and VEGF levels were significantly elevated in advanced stages of CanL, suggesting a compensatory response to vascular damage and chronic inflammation. Ang-2 levels increased in both early and late stages, indicating endothelial destabilization and inflammatory progression. VEGF correlated with disease severity and aligned with enhanced vascular permeability. CRP and ferritin levels increased with disease severity and reflected systemic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the potential role of VEGF, Ang-1 and Ang-2 in CanL progression. High levels of VEGF and Ang-2 suggest enhanced vascular permeability and inflammation, whereas elevated Ang-1 may indicate a compensatory response. Overall, these parameters have the potential to be used as biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and as targets for therapy. Additional studies with larger cohorts and advanced imaging techniques are needed to validate these findings.