title: Endothelial progenitor cells and circulating endothelial cells in early prostate cancer: a comparison with plasma vascular markers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Separate studies indicate that endothelial perturbation, as demonstrated by abnormal endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), circulating endothelial cells (CECs), and plasma markers such as von Willebrand factor (vWf) and soluble E selectin (sEsel) are present in cancer. However, there are no reports where these indices are compared. Accordingly, we hypothesized altered EPCs and CECs in prostate cancer that would correlate with vWf, sEsel, and prostate specific antigen (PSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 29 men with biopsy proven prostate cancer, with 25 with benign prostate disease and 27 free of prostate disease. CECs were defined on flow cytometry as being CD34+, CD146+, CD45-, and CD309-, EPCs were similarly defined as being CD34+, CD309+,CD45-, and CD146-. vWf, sEsel, and PSA were measured by immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite higher PSA, sE-sel, and vWf in prostate cancer (all P < 0.02), neither EPCs, CECs, nor their ratio, were significantly different. EPCs and CECs correlated significantly with each other in each group (r > 0.48, P < 0.01) but failed to correlate with any plasma marker.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unlike plasma endothelial markers, CECs and EPCs may play little part in the pathophysiology of early prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Haemostasis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Unit, University of Birmingham Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Birmingham, UK. a.blann@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Blann
authors.forename: Balu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shantsila
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Gregory Y H
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lip
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood; D014841:von Willebrand Factor
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019040:E-Selectin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen