title: Physical activity and circulating endothelial progenitor cells: an intervention study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess the effect of a personalized physical activity programme on weight and circulating (CPC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in overweight and obese subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric measurements with body composition, cardiopulmonary test, maximal stress exercise test with maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max) ) and a series of biochemical analyses were taken before (T0) and after 3 months of physical activity (T1) in a total of 80 overweight and obese subjects. CPC and EPC were determined using flow cytometry and were defined as CD34+, CD133+ and CD34+/CD133+ for CPC and CD34+KDR+, CD133+KDR+ and CD34+CD133+KDR+ for EPC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the programme, we divided the population into two groups, compliant individuals (group A, n = 47) and noncompliant individuals (group B, n = 33). Group A reported significant reductions of weight by 3·1% (P < 0·0001) and fat mass by 4·4% (P < 0·0001), while group B showed a percentage of increase in fat mass by 1·5% at T1. In group A, a trend of increase at T1 for circulating levels of CPC and EPC was observed, reaching the statistical significance for all the three types of EPC. On the contrary, group B showed no significant increase in CPC and EPC. Furthermore, a significant correlation between decrease in fat mass and increase in CD133+/KDR+ EPC was reported in group A (r = 0·50; P = 0·04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three months of physical activity significantly improved anthropometric measurements. A beneficial effect of increased number of EPC in compliant individuals, in relation to weight loss, was observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Critical Care, Thrombosis Centre, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cesari
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sofi
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gori
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Corsani
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capalbo
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caporale
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abbate
authors.forename: Gian F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gensini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34