[Change in endothelial progenitor cells and endothelial function in patients with unstable angina pectoris].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between endothelial progenitors cells (EPCs) and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with unstable angina pectoris.


METHODS
Thirty patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and thirty control subjects were recruited. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the brachial artery was evaluated by using ultrasound Doppler flow method. The number of circulating EPCs was analyzed by flow cytometry analysis. Total mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, and then the cells were plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. CD34 antigen of adherent cells was identified by immunohistochemical assay. EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double positive for FITC-UEA-I binding and DiI-acLDL uptake by direct fluorescent staining under inverted fluorescent microscope.


RESULTS
FMD was significantly impaired in the UAP group compared with the control group (5.93% +/- 2.67% vs 11.1% +/- 4.36%, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in NMD between two groups (13.60% +/- 5.03% vs 14.18% +/- 4.50%, P > 0.05). The number of CD34(+) cells significantly increased in the UAP group compared with the control group (0.13% +/- 0.05% vs 0.09% +/- 0.04%, P < 0.05). There was a negative association between impaired FMD and increased CD34(+) cell (r = -0.385, P < 0.05). A positive antigen of CD34 of adhesion cells and double positive adhesion cells were found.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that the levels of peripheral CD34(+) cells in patients with UAP increase with an impaired endothelial function. The increase in EPCs may be an important compensatory response to acute coronary ischemia and impaired endothelium in patients with UAP.
Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Chang
C
Tu
Jun
J
Tao
Yan
Y
Wang
Zhen
Z
Yang
Dong-hong
DH
Liu
Ming-guo
MG
Xu
Jie-mei
JM
Wang
Qun-ying
QY
Zeng
Guo-wei
GW
Chen
Hong
H
Ma
D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
D018952:Antigens, CD34