Functional impairment of hematopoietic progenitor cells in patients with coronary heart disease.
The circulating form of endothelial progenitors cells (EPCs) are derived from bone marrow (BM)-derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Enhanced mobilization of EPCs was shown to be linked to cardiac diseases. This study investigated whether reduced EPC levels in advanced coronary heart disease (CHD) are secondary to a functional exhaustion of HSCs in the BM or to reduced mobilization. Number and functional properties of EPCs were assessed in 15 healthy controls, and 40 patients with CHD. The colony-forming unit (CFU) capacity of BM-derived mononuclear cells and the CD34+ HSC number were examined in four healthy volunteers, and 15 CHD patients. EPC number was reduced in CHD patients (P < 0.01 vs. controls). Moreover, the migratory capacity was significantly impaired in EPCs of CHD patients (P < 0.05 vs. controls). On multivariate analysis, CHD was an independent predictor of functional EPC impairment. CFUs were reduced in CHD patients (59.6 +/- 21.2 vs. 75.4 +/- 25.8 in controls, P < 0.05). CHD was also predictor of impaired CFU capacity. In this small clinical study, CHD is associated with selective impairment of HSC function in the BM and in the peripheral blood, which may contribute to impairment of cardiac function.
Liguori
Antonio
A
Department of Cardiology-CCU, Hospital of Pellegrini-ASL NA1, Naples, Italy.
Fiorito
Carmela
C
Balestrieri
Maria Luisa
ML
Crimi
Ettore
E
Bruzzese
Giuseppe
G
Williams-Ignarro
Sharon
S
D'Amora
Maurizio
M
Sommese
Linda
L
Grimaldi
Vincenzo
V
Minucci
Pellegrino Biagio
PB
Giovane
Alfonso
A
Farzati
Bartolomeo
B
Ignarro
Louis J
LJ
Napoli
Claudio
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000502:physiology
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A