title: Therapeutic neovascularization by autologous transplantation with expanded endothelial progenitor cells from peripheral blood into ischemic hind limbs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the hypothesis that transplantation with expanded autologous endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) could enhance neovascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PB-MNC) isolated from New Zealand White rabbits were cultured in vitro. At d 7, the adherent cells were collected for autologous transplantation. Rabbits with severe unilateral hind limb ischemia were randomly assigned to receive phosphate-buffered saline or expanded EPC in phosphate-buffered saline, administered by intramuscular injection in 6 sites of the ischemic thigh at postoperative d 7. Neovascularization was monitored by using the calf blood pressure ratio to indicate tissue perfusion, digital subtraction angiography to identify collateral vessel development and histological analysis of capillary density in the ischemic limb at d 35 after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Autologous EPC transplantation produced significant amelioration in ischemic hind limbs, as indicated by a greater calf blood pressure ratio (0.52+/-0.04 vs 0.42+/-0.05, P<0.01), angiographic score (1.44+/-0.06 vs 0.98+/-0.08, P<0.01) and capillary density in muscle (195.2+/-5.4/mm2 vs 169.4+/-6.4/mm2, P<0.05), than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplantation of autologous expanded EPC can promote neovascularization in ischemic hindlimbs.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Vascular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200025, China.
authors.forename: Chun-ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Ping-jin
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zai-qian
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Che
authors.forename: Jian-jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Ding-liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000098:blood supply*; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007511:Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous