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Fast and Specific Assessment of the Halogenating Peroxidase Activity in Leukocyte-enriched Blood Samples
Published on: July 28, 2016
Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity allows reliable EPC enumeration in stored peripheral blood samples
Thomas J Povsic1, Stacie D Adams, Katherine L Zavodni
1Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. povsi001@mc.duke.edu
Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis
|February 3, 2009
Summary
Endogenous progenitor cell (EPC) analysis using aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity is reproducible after storage or cryopreservation. This finding supports broader clinical applications for vascular repair research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Stem Cell Research
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Endogenous progenitor cells (EPCs) play a crucial role in vascular repair.
- Current EPC enumeration methods require immediate sample processing, limiting clinical utility and multi-center studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of enumerating EPCs after sample storage or cryopreservation.
- To compare the reliability of EPC enumeration using cell surface markers versus ALDH activity.
Main Methods:
- Compared EPC counts in fresh samples with those stored for 24 hours or cryopreserved mononuclear cells (MNCs).
- Utilized two EPC identification strategies: CD133/CD34 cell surface markers and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH(br)) activity.
- Assessed correlation coefficients between fresh and stored/cryopreserved samples.
Main Results:
- EPC counts correlated significantly between fresh and stored/cryopreserved samples for both methods.
- Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH(br)) activity showed higher correlation (r=0.880 and r=0.894) compared to CD133/CD34 markers (r=0.699 and r=0.590) after storage and cryopreservation, respectively.
- Feasibility of EPC enumeration after MNC cryopreservation was suggested by initial multi-site trial results.
Conclusions:
- EPC analysis based on aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity is reproducible.
- This method remains reliable even after extended whole blood storage or MNC cryopreservation.
- Enables wider clinical application and multi-center collaboration in EPC research for vascular repair.

