Angiotensin, vascular endothelial growth factor and caspase-3 levels in blood serum of smoking students

Smoking cigarettes is currently considered a widespread behavioral habit among university students due to psychological, social, and behavioral factors. Smoking is believed to impair renin-angiotensin system, blood pressure regulation, endothelial function, and cells viability, particularly in the lungs or blood vessels. The study aimed to assess the level of angiotensin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), caspase-3 and the activity of antioxidants glutathione S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the blood serum of students at Samarra University (Iraq). The study lasted from 20/2 /2025 to 20/4/ 2025 and involved 100 male students aged 18-28 years. The first group consisted of 30 nonsmoker students and the second included 70 smoker students, whose daily cigarette consumption ranged between 60-100 cigarettes. The results showed a significant increase in angiotensin, VEGF and caspase-3 levels, measured by ELISA, and a significant decrease in GST and SOD activity in the blood serum of smoker students compared to nonsmokers. A high negative correlation between angiotensin, GST and SOD activity in both smokers and nonsmokers, and a positive correlation between angiotensin and caspase-3 levels in smokers were observed, indicating the promising use of studied parameters as indicators of adverse effects caused by smoking.