Endothelial progenitor cells in patients on extracorporeal maintenance dialysis therapy

Chronic renal failure patients have a high cardiovascular disease burden, low numbers and impaired function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). We hypothesized that enhanced uraemic toxin removal restores EPCs in haemodialysis patients.

In a prospective, randomized, cross-over trial, 18 patients were subjected to 4 weeks of each low-flux haemodialysis, high-flux haemodialysis and haemodiafiltration differing in uraemic toxin removal. EPCs were determined at baseline and at the end of each 4-week period. A cohort of 16 healthy volunteers served as control. EPCs were studied after culture on fibronectin (CFU-Hill) and collagen-1 (ECFC).

Dialysis patients had a lower number of ECFCs than in healthy controls (P < 0.001) and a reduced fraction of vital ECFCs (P < 0.05), whereas the formation of endothelial cell colonies (ECCs) was increased (P < 0.05). Different middle molecular uraemic toxin removal had no effects on EPC numbers. The number of prototypical EPCs (CD34( +)/VEGFR2-KDR( +)/CD45( -) ECFCs) was similar between patients and controls. Correlations of plasma C-reactive protein with ECC count, CFU-Hill colony count and CD34( +)/VEGFR2-KDR( +)/CD45( -) subpopulation of both ECFC and CFU-Hill cells were observed.

Different middle molecule removal has no effect on EPCs. Reduced vitality and enhanced ECC formation suggest growth induction of impaired EPCs in chronic renal failure and are associated with inflammation.