Published Online
on July 27, 2006

A more recent version of this article appeared on September 1, 2006

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 37/9/2277    most recent 01.STR.0000236064.19293.79v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Fadini, G. P. Articles by Vigili de Kreutzenberg, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fadini, G. P. Articles by Vigili de Kreutzenberg, S. Related Collections Angiogenesis Risk Factors Genetics of Stroke Endothelium/vascular type/nitric oxide Mechanism of atherosclerosis/growth factors

Submitted on March 22, 2006
Revised on April 27, 2006
Accepted on June 15, 2006

Peripheral Blood CD34⁺KDR⁺ Endothelial Progenitor Cells Are Determinants of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in a Middle-Aged General Population

Gian Paolo Fadini MD^*; Anna Coracina MD; Ilenia Baesso BSc; Carlo Agostini MD; Antonio Tiengo MD; Angelo Avogaro MD, PhD; and Saula Vigili de Kreutzenberg MD, PhD

From the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (G.P.F., A.C., A.T., A.A., S.V.d.K.), Metabolic Diseases, and the Clinical Immunology Branch (I.B., C.A.), University of Padova Medical School, Padova, Italy.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: gianpaolofadini{at}hotmail.com.

Background and Purpose--Disruption of the endothelial layer is the first step in the atherogenic process. Experimental studies have shown that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are involved in endothelial homeostasis and repair. Conversely, EPC depletion has been demonstrated in the setting of established atherosclerotic diseases. With this background, we evaluated whether variations in the number of EPCs are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in healthy subjects.

Methods--Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), levels of circulating EPCs, and cardiovascular risk were compared in 137 healthy subjects. Six subpopulations of progenitor cells were determined by flow cytometry on the basis of the surface expression of CD34, CD133, and KDR antigens: CD34⁺, CD133⁺, CD34⁺CD133⁺, CD34⁺KDR⁺, CD133⁺KDR⁺, and CD34⁺CD133⁺KDR⁺.

Results--Among different antigenic profiles of EPCs, only CD34⁺KDR⁺ cells were significantly reduced in subjects with increased IMT. Specifically, CD34⁺KDR⁺ cells were inversely correlated with IMT, even after adjustment for hsCRP and 10-year Framingham risk and independently of other cardiovascular parameters.

Conclusions--Depletion of CD34⁺KDR⁺ EPCs is an independent predictor of early subclinical atherosclerosis in healthy subjects and may provide additional information beyond classic risk factors and inflammatory markers.

Key words: atherosclerosis • endothelium • progenitor cells

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. E. Westerweel, F. L.J. Visseren, G. R. Hajer, J. K. Olijhoek, I. E. Hoefer, P. de Bree, S. Rafii, P. A. Doevendans, and M. C. Verhaar Endothelial progenitor cell levels in obese men with the metabolic syndrome and the effect of simvastatin monotherapy vs. simvastatin/ezetimibe combination therapy Eur. Heart J., September 28, 2008; (2008) ehn431v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Surdacki, E. Marewicz, E. Wieteska, G. Szastak, T. Rakowski, E. Wieczorek-Surdacka, D. Dudek, J. Pryjma, and J. S. Dubiel Association between endothelial progenitor cell depletion in blood and mild-to-moderate renal insufficiency in stable angina Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., July 1, 2008; 23(7): 2265 - 2273. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Muller-Ehmsen, D. Braun, T. Schneider, R. Pfister, N. Worm, K. Wielckens, C. Scheid, P. Frommolt, and M. Flesch Decreased number of circulating progenitor cells in obesity: beneficial effects of weight reduction Eur. Heart J., June 2, 2008; 29(12): 1560 - 1568. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J. Povsic and P. J. Goldschmidt-Clermont Review: Endothelial progenitor cells: markers of vascular reparative capacity Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease, June 1, 2008; 2(3): 199 - 213. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. P. Fadini, S. de Kreutzenberg, M. Albiero, A. Coracina, E. Pagnin, I. Baesso, A. Cignarella, C. Bolego, M. Plebani, G. B. Nardelli, et al. Gender Differences in Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Cardiovascular Risk Profile: The Role of Female Estrogens Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol., May 1, 2008; 28(5): 997 - 1004. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. P. Fadini, I. Baesso, C. Agostini, E. Cuccato, G. B. Nardelli, A. Lapolla, and A. Avogaro Maternal Insulin Therapy Increases Fetal Endothelial Progenitor Cells During Diabetic Pregnancy Diabetes Care, April 1, 2008; 31(4): 808 - 810. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. P. Fadini, C. Agostini, and A. Avogaro Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Coronary Artery Disease J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., April 10, 2007; 49(14): 1585 - 1585. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. P. Fadini, C. Agostini, and A. Avogaro Endothelial progenitor cells and erectile dysfunction Eur. Heart J., March 1, 2007; 28(5): 639 - 640. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. L. Hoetzer, G. P. Van Guilder, H. M. Irmiger, R. S. Keith, B. L. Stauffer, and C. A. DeSouza Aging, exercise, and endothelial progenitor cell clonogenic and migratory capacity in men J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2007; 102(3): 847 - 852. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Avogaro and G. P. Fadini The Janus Face of Nicotinic Angiogenesis J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., December 19, 2006; 48(12): 2561 - 2563. [Full Text] [PDF]