Circulating endothelial progenitor cells in postmenopausal women with and without coronary artery disease
F Pelliccia1, V Pasceri, C Cianfrocca
1Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Insights
Postmenopausal women have higher levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), potentially explaining lower coronary artery disease (CAD) rates. In patients with CAD, EPC levels were similar between genders, suggesting a loss of protective function in disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Hematology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) prevalence is lower in middle-aged women than men, but underlying mechanisms are unclear.
- Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a role in vascular repair and may influence gender-specific CAD differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between circulating EPC subpopulations and the gender-specific disparity in CAD.
- To compare EPC levels in postmenopausal women with and without CAD against age-matched men.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 71 middle-aged patients with stable CAD (30 women, 41 men) and 40 age-matched controls (20 women, 20 men) were studied.
- Blood samples were analyzed using flow cytometry to quantify EPC subpopulations.
Main Results:
- Patients with CAD showed no significant differences in EPC subpopulations between genders.
- Normal postmenopausal women exhibited significantly higher absolute counts of CD34+, CD133+, CD105+, and CD14+ cells compared to all other groups.
Conclusions:
- Elevated EPC subpopulations in healthy postmenopausal women may contribute to their lower CAD prevalence.
- The similar EPC levels in men and women with established CAD suggest a diminished protective role of these cells once the disease is clinically apparent.
Background:
Middle-aged women have a lower prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) compared with age-matched men, but mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain controversial. To verify whether there is a link between circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and gender-specific difference of CAD, we compared subpopulations of EPCs among postmenopausal normal women, patients with CAD, and age-matched men.
Methods:
We studied 71 consecutive middle-aged patients with stable CAD (30 postmenopausal women and 41 men) and 40 middle-aged normal controls (20 postmenopausal women and 20 men). Blood samples were drawn at time of coronary angiography and subpopulations of EPCs were measured by flow cytometry.
Results:
Women and men with CAD had similar age, risk factors, clinical presentation, left ventricular function, extension of CAD, and medical therapy at time of coronary angiography. Hematologic analysis showed that men and women with CAD had similar white cell count, mononuclear cells, and subpopulations of EPCs. Postmenopausal normal women, conversely, had significantly higher absolute numbers of CD34+, CD133+, CD105+ and CD14+ cells than other groups.
Conclusions:
Increased numbers of subpopulations of EPCs in normal postmenopausal women might contribute to the gender-specific difference of CAD in middle age. Lack of difference in EPCs between women and men with CAD suggests that stem cells become unable to play a protective role when the disease is clinically evident.
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