title: Impact of age and gender interaction on circulating endothelial progenitor cells in healthy subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CEPC) in cycling women compared with men and menopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy, nonsmoking volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve women, aged 18-40 years, with regular menstrual cycles, 12 menopausal women, and two groups of 12 age-matched men were recruited. Women did not receive any hormone therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collection of 20 mL of peripheral blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  The number of CEPC, defined as (Lin-/7AAD-/CD34+/CD133+/KDR+) cells per 10(6) mononuclear cells (MNC), was measured by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of CEPC was significantly higher in cycling women than in age-matched men and menopausal women (26.5 per 10(6) MNC vs. 10.5 per 10(6) MNC vs. 10 per 10(6) MNC, respectively). The number of CEPC was similar in menopausal women, age-matched, and young men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of CEPC is influenced by an age-gender interaction. This phenomenon may explain in part the better vascular repair and relative cardiovascular protection in younger women as compared with age-matched men.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit (URC-EST) and Department of Pharmacology, AP-HP, Saint-Antoine Hospital, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 6, Paris, France. alexandra_rousseau@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rousseau
authors.forename: Fida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ayoubi
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deveaux
authors.forename: Beny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Charbit
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delmau
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christin-Maitre
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaillon
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Uzan
authors.forename: Tabassome
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol