title: Apoptosis of endothelial progenitor cells in a metabolic syndrome experimental model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study tests the hypothesis postulating that metabolic syndrome induced by chronic administration of fructose to spontaneously hypertensive rats (FFHR) generates impairment in vascular repair by endothelial progenitor cells (EPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  TO CHARACTERIZE THE VASCULAR ADVERSE ENVIRONMENT PRESENT IN THIS EXPERIMENTAL MODEL WE MEASURED: NAD(P)H oxidase activity, eNOS activity, presence of apoptosis in the arterial wall, all these parameters were most affected in the FFHR group. Also, we found decreased level and proliferative capacity of EPC measured by flow cytometry and colonies forming units assay in cultured cells, respectively, in both groups treated with fructose; FFHR (SHR fructose fed rats) and FFR (WKY fructose fed rats) compared with their controls; SHR and WKY.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fructose-fed groups FFR and SHR also showed an incremented number of apoptotic (annexinV+/7AADdim) EPC measured by flow cytometry that returns to almost normal values after eliminating fructose administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that increased apoptosis levels of EPC generated in this experimental model could bein part the underlying cause for the impaired vascular repair by in EPC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National University of Cuyo, Institute of Experimental Medicine and Biology of Cuyo (IMB ECU), CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina ; Perinatal Brain Development Section, Institute of Hystology and Embriology of Cuyo Dr. Marcos Burgos (HIEM), CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lembo
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lopez-Aguilera
authors.forename: Emiliano R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Diez
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Renna
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vazquez-Prieto
authors.forename: Roberto M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Miatello