title: Association of HIV-Infection and antiretroviral therapy with levels of endothelial progenitor cells and subclinical atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although in the general population circulating vascular progenitor cell levels have been implicated in the homeostasis of the vascular wall through differentiation into endothelium and/or smooth muscle cells, it has not yet been assessed in HIV-infected patients. We herein investigated the number of progenitor cell subpopulations in HIV-infected patients and its relationship to carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from 200 HIV-infected patients and CD34/KDR, CD34/VE-cadherin, and CD14/Endoglin progenitor cells were identified by flow cytometry. c-IMT was determined by ultrasonography. A group of 27 healthy subjects was used as control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our population (20 ART-naive patients and 180 treated patients), traditional cardiovascular risk factors were not found predictive of vascular progenitor cell levels. However, antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treatment was identified as the main predictive value for low CD34/KDR cells and high CD14/Endoglin cells after adjustment by cardiovascular risk factors (age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidaemia) and HIV-related characteristics (HIV duration and ART treatment). Low levels of circulating CD34/KDR or CD34/VE-cadherin endothelial progenitor cells tended to be associated with increased c-IMT. However, a positive association was found between CD14/Endoglin cells and c-IMT. Low number of CD34/KDR cells was also associated with the longest exposure to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and/or protease inhibitors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ART exposure is the main predictor of circulating vascular progenitor cell levels. However, their levels are only partially associated with high c-IMT in HIV-infected patients. ART has already been found to have proatherogenic effect, but our data first describe its relationship with vascular progenitor cells and c-IMT.
authors: Vascular Biology Research Laboratory, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain. mgomezg.hcsc@salud.madrid.org
authors: Dulcenombre
authors: D
authors: Gómez-Garre
authors: Vicente
authors: V
authors: Estrada
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Ortega-Hernández
authors: Paloma
authors: P
authors: Muñoz-Pacheco
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Serrano-Villar
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Avila
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Fuentes-Ferrer
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Tejerina
authors: Arturo
authors: A
authors: Fernández-Cruz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D000099152:Cadherin 5
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015820:Cadherins; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D000099152:Cadherin 5