Adiponectin levels are associated with the number and activity of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between plasma adiponectin concentration and the functional activities of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
Circulating EPCs were enumerated as AC133(+)/KDR(+) cells via flow cytometry and identified by co-staining with DiI-acLDL and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated lectin under a fluorescent microscope. The migratory capacity of EPCs was measured by modified Boyden chamber assay. Adhesion capacity was performed to count adherent cells after replating EPCs on six-well culture dishes coated with fibronectin.


RESULTS
The number of circulating EPCs (AC133(+)/KDR(+) cells) decreased significantly in CAD patients, compared with control subjects [(74.2+/-12.3) vs (83.5+/-12.9) cells/ml blood, P<0.01]. In addition, the number of EPCs also decreased in CAD patients after ex vivo cultivation [(54.4+/-8.6) vs (71.9+/-11.6) EPCs/field, P<0.01]. Both circulating EPCs and differentiated EPCs were positively correlated with plasma adiponectin concentration. The functional activities of EPCs from CAD patients, such as migratory and adherent capacities, were also impaired, compared with control subjects, and positively correlated with plasma adiponectin concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrates that the impairment of the number and functional activities of EPCs in CAD patients is correlated with their lower plasma adiponectin concentrations.
Department of Cardiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
Ying
Dan-dan
DD
Zhong
Geng
G
Xu
Miao-yan
MY
Chen
Qing-yu
QY
Chen
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
D052242:Adiponectin