title: Improvement in endothelial progenitor cells from peripheral blood by ramipril therapy in patients with stable coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to investigate whether angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) therapy with ramipril could augment circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with enhanced functional activity in patients with stable coronary artery diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  20 patients with angiographically documented stable coronary artery disease (CAD) were prospectively treated with 5 mg of ramipril per day for 4 weeks. Before and weekly after the initiation of ramipril therapy, EPCs were isolated from peripheral blood and counted. Ramipril treatment of patients with stable CAD was associated with an approximately 1.5-fold increase in the number of circulating EPCs by 1 week after initiation of treatment; this was followed by sustained increased levels to approximately 2.5-fold throughout the 4-week study period. In addition, ramipril treatmen was associated with increases in the functional activity of EPCs, as assessed by their proliferation, migration, adhesion and in vitro vasculogenesis capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study define a novel mechanism of action of ACEI treatment in patients with stable CAD: the augmentation of circulating EPCs with enhanced functional activity. Given the well-established role of EPCs of participating in repair after ischemic injury, stimulation of EPCs by ACEI may contribute to the clinical benefit of ACEI therapy in patients with CAD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tao Qian
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Chen Jun
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wang Xing
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Zhu Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Shang Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical / Q000379:methods; D017257:Ramipril / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D017257:Ramipril