title: Decreased circulating endothelial progenitor cell levels and function in essential hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the role of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and endothelial apoptotic microparticles in hypertensive patients with and without electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Flow cytometry was used to assess endothelial cell apoptosis and circulating EPC level by quantification of circulating EPC markers (defined as CD34(+)CD133(+), CD34(+)KDR(+)) and endothelial apoptotic microparticles (defined as CD31(+)/annexin V(+)) in peripheral blood samples. The LVH was defined by ECG with the Cornell voltage criteria. In total, 128 hypertensive patients (83 men and 45 women, aged 59±14 years) were enrolled in this study, in which 107 patients (84%) showed no electrocardiographic evidence of LVH, and 21 patients (16%) fulfilled the LVH criteria by ECG. There were no significant differences in basic characteristics between the two groups, but hypertensive patients with LVH had a higher urine albumin excretion rate than those without LVH (P=0.027). Furthermore, hypertensive patients with LVH were shown to have decreased circulating EPC numbers (all P<0.05) and adhesive function compared with those without LVH (LVH vs. no LVH: 14±6 vs. 30±6 cells per high-power field, P<0.001). Increased numbers of endothelial apoptotic microparticles were noted in hypertensive patients with LVH (4.2±4.9 vs. 2.4±3.4%, P=0.115), although the difference was not significant. This study showed that essential hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic LVH evidence have decreased circulating EPC numbers and adhesive function compared with those without LVH. These findings may explain the pathogenetic processes that link hypertensive LVH and endothelial injury in cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Po-Hsun
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shao-Sung
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hsin-Bang
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Leu
authors.forename: Chin-Chou
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tao-Cheng
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jaw-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shing-Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000503:physiopathology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000097:blood; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000097:blood; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles; D004562:Electrocardiography; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053262:Receptors, OX40 / Q000097:blood; D063268:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D015415:Biomarkers; C571163:CD33 protein, human; D053262:Receptors, OX40; D063268:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3; C505716:TNFRSF4 protein, human