title: Circulating endothelial cells and endothelial activation in essential thrombocythemia: results from CD146+ immunomagnetic enrichment--flow cytometry and soluble E-selectin detection.
abstract: Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) have been studied in cardiovascular disorders and as a marker of angiogenetic activity; clinical applications are limited by a lack of consensus on their phenotypic identification and quantification. We determined CECs in essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients, to investigate their possible pathogenetic role. We considered CECs as CD146⁺/CD45⁻ nucleated cells, detected in peripheral blood from 21 healthy controls and 39 ET patients, performing a combination of pre-enrichment of CD146⁺ circulating cells and multiparametric flow cytometry measurement (FCM). Levels of CECs in ET patients were higher with respect to controls (median 2844 CECs/mL vs. 121.3 CECs/mL, P < 0.0001). Apparently hydroxyurea treatment did not influence the levels of CECs. As another established marker of endothelial activation, we also assessed soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) levels in 31 of the ET patients and compared with 39 healthy volunteers: median sE-selectin level in ET patients was 35.3 ng/mL, higher with respect to controls (24.48 ng/mL), P = 0.0369. Our data suggest that endothelium in ET is activated, reflecting a significant role of angiogenesis in this disorder and suggesting an important endothelial contribution in the hypercoagulable state of ET patients.
authors.affiliation: Ospedale San Gerardo-Universita' Milano Bicocca, Clinica Ematologica, Monza, Italy. ange.belotti@gmail.com
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belotti
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elli
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Speranza
authors.forename: Eraldo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lanzi
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pioltelli
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pogliani
mesh_terms: D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051929:CD146 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000032:analysis*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation / Q000379:methods*; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000379:methods; D053614:Janus Kinase 2 / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D000925:Anticoagulants; D051929:CD146 Antigen; D019040:E-Selectin; C497902:MCAM protein, human; C546936:SELE protein, human; C507924:JAK2 protein, human; D053614:Janus Kinase 2; D001241:Aspirin; D006918:Hydroxyurea