title: Detection and validation of circulating endothelial cells, a blood-based diagnostic marker of acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are markers of vascular damage that have clinical relevance in many diseases, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and may be predictors of treatment responses. Herein, we investigated the diagnostic and prognostic value of CEC monitoring in AMI patients and a murine model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CECs were defined as Hoechst 33342(+)/CD45(-/)CD31(+)/CD146(+)/CD133(-) in human blood samples and Hoechst 33342(+)/CD45(-/)CD31(+)/KDR(+)/CD117(-) in murine samples. To evaluate the validity and variability of our CEC detection system, peripheral blood samples of vascular endothelial growth factor-treated athymic nude mice and AMI patients were collected and subjected to intra-assay analysis. CEC detection by flow cytometry and real-time PCR were compared. Blood samples were obtained from 61 AMI patients, 45 healthy volunteers and 19 samples of the original AMI patients accepted one month treatment, via flow cytometry and expressed as a percentage of peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our CEC detection method was validated and had limited variability. CEC concentrations were higher in AMI patients compared to healthy controls. One month post-treatment, CECs levels decreased significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CEC levels may be useful as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in AMI patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chuanyin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yuting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Huili
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Changqiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiumei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Shengfang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015415:Biomarkers; C017807:bisbenzimide ethoxide trihydrochloride