Levels and values of circulating endothelial progenitor cells, soluble angiogenic factors, and mononuclear cell apoptosis in liver cirrhosis patients.
BACKGROUND
The roles of circulating endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) and mononuclear cell apoptosis (MCA) in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients are unknown. Moreover, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α are powerful endogenous substances enhancing EPC migration into circulation. We assessed the level and function of EPCs [CD31/CD34 (E(1)), KDR/CD34 (E(2)), CXCR4/CD34 (E(3))], levels of MCA, VEGF and SDF-1α in circulation of LC patients.


METHODS
Blood sample was prospectively collected once for assessing EPC level and function, MCA, and plasma levels of VEGF and SDF-1α using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively, in 78 LC patients and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.


RESULTS
Number of EPCs (E(1), E(2), E(3)) was lower (all p < 0.0001), whereas SDF-1α level and MCA were higher (p < 0.001) in study patients compared with healthy controls. Number of EPCs (E(2), E(3)) was higher but MCA was lower (all p < 0.05) in Child's class A compared with Child's class B and C patients, although no difference in VEGF and SDF-1α levels were noted among these patients. Chronic hepatitis B and esophageal varices bleeding were independently, whereas chronic hepatitis C, elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and decompensated LC were inversely and independently correlated with circulating EPC level (all p < 0.03). Additionally, angiogenesis and transwell migratory ability of EPCs were reduced in LC patients than in controls (all p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study demonstrated that level, angiogenic capacity, and function of circulating EPCs were significantly reduced, whereas plasma levels of SDF-1α and circulating MCA were substantially enhanced in cirrhotic patients.
Divisions of General Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chih-Hung
CH
Chen
Li-Teh
LT
Chang
Wei-Chih
WC
Tung
Yung-Lung
YL
Chen
Chia-Lo
CL
Chang
Steve
S
Leu
Cheuk-Kwan
CK
Sun
Tzu-Hsien
TH
Tsai
I-Ting
IT
Tsai
Hsueh-Wen
HW
Chang
Hon-Kan
HK
Yip
D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000097:blood*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
C515255:CXCL12 protein, human; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A