title: Effect of exercise on circulating endothelial progenitor cells in microvascular angina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) might limit endothelial dysfunction in patients with microvascular angina (MVA). Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs; displaying the CD34+/KDR+/CD45- phenotype) are currently regarded as true EPCs. The aim of this study was to evaluate exercise-induced ECFC mobilization and platelet reactivity in patients with MVA or with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exercise stress test (EST) was performed in 20 MVA patients, 20 CAD patients and 20 controls. Platelet reactivity was assessed before and after EST as formation of monocyte-platelet aggregates (MPAs) and CD41 platelet expression, without and with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) stimulation. ECFC number was measured before and 24h after EST. At rest, MPAs and CD41 platelet expression increased more with ADP in MVA patients (+71±11.0% and +37±7.5%, respectively), than in CAD patients (+37±8.6% and +19±4.5%, respectively) and controls (+29±3.5% and +21±3.1%, respectively; P<0.001 for both). At rest, ECFCs tended to be lower in CAD patients, compared to MVA patients and controls (4.1±5.0%, 7.2±6.0% and 7.3±7.0% cells/10(5), respectively; P=0.056). After EST, ECFCs increased less in MVA patients (+2.8±11) compared to CAD patients (+3.3±15; P<0.05) and controls (+7.4±24; P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In MVA patients, EST is able to blunt the peculiar increase of platelet reactivity to ADP present at rest; in contrast, no potential protective response of ECFCs to exercise was seen in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scalone
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Caterina
authors.forename: Antonio Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tritarelli
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mollo
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pinnacchio
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Amario
authors.forename: Gaetano Antonio
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crea
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate