title: HDL cholesterol is a strong determinant of endothelial progenitor cells in hypercholesterolemic subjects.
abstract: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) can repair the endothelial layer and are considered a component of the cardiovascular system. EPC number and function may change under pathological conditions, including cardiovascular risk factors. The study was carried out to investigate circulating EPC number, in vitro function and relationship with LDL-C, HDL-C and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Forty-one male and 39 female subjects, age>35 and<45, LDL cholesterol plasma level>130 mg/dl with normal (> or =50 mg/dl females and> or =40 mg/dl males) or low HDL-C, absence of any concomitant disorders and/or drug treatment, at their first diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia, were consecutively recruited in the Outpatient Service of the Medical Pathophysiology Department of Rome Sapienza University. In high LDL-C patients, circulating EPC number was decreased and EPC capability to migrate was impaired as well. This pattern was far less evident in the normal HDL-C subgroup. The endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (EDV) was significantly decreased according to the HDL-C decrease in male but not in female subjects. Univariate analysis showed a direct correlation between EPC number and EDV, and the association persisted after adjustment for sex, age and HDL-C, which were all significantly correlated to EDV, which may suggest a protective role of EPC on endothelium in vivo. Our study documented that, in hypercholesterolemic subjects, HDL-C is a strong determinant of EPC number and function, and EPC number decrease is an independent risk factor for endothelial dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medica, Sapienza Università, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Cora
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertone
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montanile
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miglietta
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lubrano
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Santiemma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002452:Cell Count; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D010991:Plethysmography; D012016:Reference Values; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin